


LOVE FEVER REDUX

by Mirror_Prison



Series: LOVE FEVER [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: (even though they're societally adults), Alpha Inuzuka Kiba, Alpha Uzumaki Naruto, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Bestiality, Bottom Uchiha Sasuke, Cuckolding, Dubious Consent, Everyone wants that prime alpha cock, Extremely Dubious Consent, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Intersex Uchiha Sasuke, Knotting, Mating Bites, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mating Moon, Mpreg, Multi, Omega Hyuuga Neji, Omega Uchiha Sasuke, Pack Orgies, Porn, Porn With Plot, Pregnancy Kink, Role Reversal, Rough Sex, Sequel, Teen Pregnancy, Top Uzumaki Naruto, Violent Sex, but like they're shapeshifters, that means omega topping and alphas bottoming like the interchangeable sluts they are
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:16:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 12
Words: 140,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25881949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mirror_Prison/pseuds/Mirror_Prison
Summary: Sasuke's finally gotten his alpha to establish their bond completely, against all odds and the desires of multiple clans. He's trying to move into the next stage of life as Naruto's bond-mate, but the issues lurking before haven't just vanished. As if dealing with the clans who want to claim his mate as a warrior and carrying a child for a demon wasn't enough, an old conflict is brought back into the light.(a.k.a y'all wanted to see Sasuke pregnant so here it is.) (Also them doin' it in new and creative ways.) (A storyline?)I wanna say this will be updated (bi)-weekly.
Relationships: Hyuuga Hinata/Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuuga Hinata/Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuuga Neji/Inuzuka Kiba, Uchiha Itachi/Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi/Uzumaki Kushina, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Kushina, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Series: LOVE FEVER [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1878142
Comments: 107
Kudos: 128





	1. Chapter 1

Sasuke awoke with a start when someone touched his cheek. His body ached, and his heart was pounding. His arm flung out and struck the familiar warmth and solidity of his alpha. His fist closed around simple burnt-orange cotton as he grabbed onto Naruto’s robe. “Where am I?” he demanded, sitting up and feeling his head swim. 

“Home,” came the soothing reply. A hand covered the small of his back, and Sasuke stiffened. He remembered. They had made it back. They’d managed to mate properly and survive. He was pleased about that, but after how much he had been handled the previous day by so many different people, he was still overwhelmed. Naruto’s touches, though well-meaning, were making Sasuke’s skin crawl. “You came really hard and then went to sleep for a while,” Naruto explained, unnecessarily. “And then I-”

“I remember,” Sasuke cut in. He looked up and saw Naruto wince as their eyes connected. His discomfort must be on his face. There was no need to sugar-coat it then. “Get out.” The alpha’s eyes widened in surprise. “I saw too many people yesterday,” Sasuke explained briefly.

“Okay…” The alpha hesitated, biting his lip. “But you’re still burning.”

“You think I don’t realize that?” Naruto shook his head, again wincing slightly at Sasuke’s tone. The omega jerked his head, folding his arms. “Go.” Reluctantly, Naruto nodded, standing up and leaving Sasuke alone. When the door slid shut, Sasuke let himself collapse back into their bed with a sigh.

Since being opened, his body felt different. He needed a moment to take stock of his seemingly new self. He ran his hands across his throat, feeling his mark light up. Then he touched his chest, belly, and thighs. On the outside, they all felt the same, smooth and warm, but they felt different on the inside. His belly especially. When he moved, he was aware of it in ways he had never been before. 

Sasuke huffed, knowing that his fool alpha wouldn’t understand even if Sasuke explained it. He knew nothing of what it meant to be an omega. Naruto’s body was the same as it had always been. He hadn’t woken up one night to find the seam between his thighs splitting open, and his hopes of being a warrior ruined because he had presented as an omega. 

Knowingly or not, Naruto had made additional revisions to Sasuke’s form, giving it more sensitivity and attuning it to himself with each one. Sasuke tracked the changes in himself and breathed away any anxiety those thoughts might have caused. He shouldn’t waste time being nervous since it couldn’t be undone. His disobedient heartbeat picked up anyway.

He remembered with a familiar (but somehow new) tightening feeling, the sensation of his mate’s cock filling him completely and then tying him. His body had been forced to new limits, and… he had bled again. Changes to an omega’s body always came with blood, flashes of bright red that even in the absence of pain told Sasuke he’d been injured.

Sasuke pushed the heels of his hands into the flesh between his hipbones. He gasped. If he did that, the soreness outlined his affected parts and highlighted all the changes. He could feel them reaching deep into him, and an internal quiver ran from his entrance to behind his belly button. There was a space that hadn’t been there before, and it hungered. He could conceive- if he hadn’t already. Sasuke whimpered, his body arching slightly against the mattress.

If Naruto was lucky he didn’t have to make these changes, he was also unlucky. He would never be allowed to experience the bittersweet ecstasy of it. The pleasure from his own cock paled compared to the sensations of being filled, taken, fucked. There was nothing that matched the nervous pleasure of being locked to an alpha and bred. It was amazing pleasure. It needed to be amazing pleasure to trick an omega into taking such a risk, to exposing themselves like that. After all, most alphas were neither kind nor safe. 

Naruto had revealed that he’d had to choose whether mate or kill Sasuke upon meeting him, and Sasuke knew that tactically speaking, killing him would have been the better decision. Naruto had decided against his interests to make Sasuke his first. In a world where omega were considered property, he had been unbelievably lucky that he hadn’t been opened and then killed. But even the luckiest option had involved getting forced onto his back and having a mark bitten into his throat without his consent.

Sasuke let another soft whimper of trepidation and pleasure. The first time he had been pushed down by the alpha, he had felt his stomach falling and the space between his legs throbbing in counterpoint. Even after all this time together, he still felt a mix of nervousness and need when the alpha approached him, his cock a hard rod that threatened to pierce Sasuke and change him irreversibly.

Sasuke would have a child for Naruto soon, and there would be more blood. He was fearful of it, and at the same time, he wanted it desperately. Sasuke rolled over onto his front and breathed. He was still in heat. His thoughts had no option but to be desperate. “My first?” someone asked from the cracked open doorway. “Are you all right?”

“Hinata?” Sasuke turned his head towards the door and saw his second enter. She knelt down by his bedside with a small plate and a bowl. She set them down, then reached out and pushed his hair away from his face. He didn’t remember when he had started sweating, but his hair was damp when she combed it back with her fingers.

“I just wanted to take care of you a bit. Make you eat,” she told him gently. Sasuke nodded, moving carefully onto his side to pick at the slices of tomato she’d brought him. When did she find out that he liked them? He hadn’t told her. Naruto must have given her a hint. “Whenever Naruto tried to-” Hinata began.

“I know,” Sasuke sighed. “I’m not angry with him. I just needed time alone.” Trying to sort himself hadn’t really helped, but if he hadn’t had the chance to try, it only would have made the friction between him and his mate worse.

“You’re still in heat, you know?” Hinata reminded him gently. She produced a wet cloth from the bowl and wet his forehead and throat. Sasuke released a pant of pleasure as she cooled his chest with it too. She spread the cloth out over his side, and he could feel the coldness of it as the water evaporated from the thin fabric. The texture rubbing across his nipples when she touched him or when he breathed made his body tense. “Maybe it wasn’t good to send him away.” 

Sasuke reached for the corked bottle of alcohol Hinata had brought him the night before. There was still more than enough left to drink. Flames licked him from his mouth to his stomach as he swallowed. He breathed out heated air, shuddering at the bite of the drink. Hinata put her hand out. “Let me drink with you. It's too much for one.” He passed her the bottle. She took a swig, and a pretty red flush began to crowd her pale cheeks. He watched her since her lips were parted to say something. “He did it to you.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t hang around here with me if you don’t want to get triggered as well,” Sasuke gave her in place of a reply. It wasn’t a real question, anyway. The fact that Naruto had opened him was obvious by the tender way Sasuke moved. Hinata passed the bottle back, and he took another drink. His feelings of worry were beginning to fade away.

Hinata shrugged. “He promised to do it to me on my next heat, so I’m actually hoping that it does come early.”

“I’m off schedule, so who knows.” It hadn’t been a new moon, like his first heat. It had been an intermediate moon, instead, signifying that it wasn’t one of his cycle driven heats but rather that he’d been triggered by something about his alpha. It was the love fever he and Hinata gossiped about together. Naruto was a prime alpha, and it seemed like his superior scent could drag a heat out of his omega. 

Had it been a waxing crescent the night before or a quarter? He didn’t really know which it had been closer to. “Maybe what he did might trigger both of us.” Hinata nodded, her face lighting up with hope. She lifted up the cloth of Sasuke’s chest, turned to dip it into the bowl of water, and spread it out over him again. He shivered gratefully as the chill spread through him.

“I’m just a little jealous, you know,” Hinata admitted, moving a lock of her hair. “I want to be claimed like that.” Sasuke locked eyes with her and shuddered at the intensity of the desire he saw in them. “The thought of everyone seeing and knowing that my alpha and I-” Hinata cut off, biting her lip. “It's just exhilarating,” she admitted, bowing her head a little.

“Ask him,” Sasuke advised. He saw Naruto eagerly fulfilling that role. The thought of Naruto moving between Hinata’s legs, opening her up, didn’t bother him anymore. He had been first, after all. The way she would throw her head back and cry out, her pale, round face surrounded by the dark halo of her hair, actually started to make something stir in him. If Naruto wanted, they could both take her, and if she passed out, Naruto would find Sasuke again, her blood still coating his cock and- Sasuke shook his head. He was running out of time, and thoughts like that only made his mind spill away more quickly. “I’d surely watch it,” he promised. Hinata shivered. 

“The Hyuuga clan would never allow such a thing,” she sighed, smiling wistfully. “May I?” She asked, leaning closer. Sasuke nodded, and she kissed him. Her mouth was soft, and she smelled sweet like the wine they were drinking. “I’m so happy we got you back safe,” she whispered, as though afraid to tempt fate by speaking loudly. She kissed him again, her touch oh-so gentle wherever her skin met his.

“I-” Her touches on his body felt good, but Sasuke needed his alpha. He felt it break over him in a wave. This was all too much, and the cloth was losing its ability to counter the raising of his temperature. “Hinata. It hurts,” he admitted. He had a great need that only his alpha could fulfill. “Call him to me.” 

“I’ll find him,” she promised, smoothing Sasuke’s hair back once more before collecting her things and leaving.

Sasuke felt energy jerking on his limbs and decided to get up. His body felt strange as he walked, and he was hyper-aware of his bare legs, of his skin where it touched other parts of his body. He crept silently across the house to the room he had nested in before and felt frustrated when the pile of items wasn’t there anymore. He opened one of the sliding doors to the closet and breathed a sigh of relief. The servants had put the things away but not moved them back to their previous locations. He supposed that made sense. Instinctively he was still annoyed that betas had dared touch his nest in the first place, but in the face of his heat, it was hard to hold on to. 

He unfolded the mattress, covered it with soft blankets, and created himself a hollow between some larger cushions. Having a smaller space around him made him feel much safer. He moved the pillows around, trying to ensure stability. Eventually, he gave up on creating a free-standing structure and ended up pushing the whole thing into a corner so the walls would support it. When it was satisfying, he curled up in it on his side and let trembles move through him in waves. 

“Cute nest,” Naruto panted, brushing a leaf off of himself. He’d run back, eager as a puppy, and his eyes sparkled with nothing but excitement. Sasuke didn’t make him wait any longer. He stretched out a hand and was pleased when the blond immediately took it, crawling in to sit beside Sasuke in his hollow of pillows and blankets. Naruto watched him for nearly a whole moment before enveloping him in a warm, highly pleasurable embrace and nuzzling against his mating mark. Even just pressing against another body made Sasuke’s need flare up and twist his organs up as though in a fist.

Sasuke murmured into his mate’s ear: “Naruto- it hurts.” Which was hard to admit. But it would get them to the point. He’d been opened, and he was in heat. After the past few days, he was owed, at the very least, a knot. One that he’d be allowed to hold as long as he wanted.

“Your heat?” Naruto asked, following easily when Sasuke laid down, pulling the blond alpha with him. It was only then Sasuke remembered his other injuries and realized his statement might not have been as clear as he’d intended.

“You got me in the fever again, with that stunt you pulled,” he drawled. His breath caught at the end of the phrase as Naruto nipped their mark possessively. He moaned as the alpha ran his tongue over the bite to soothe it. Naruto’s hands were on a journey along the inside of Sasuke’s open shirt, drifting over his collar bones and nipples before making their way down along the omega’s sides. “In front of my whole clan, of course.”

Naruto didn’t apologize. Instead, he looked up and ordered. “Kiss me.” Sasuke nodded, stricken by the deep wells of emotion he could see in the alpha’s eyes. Despite his amenability, his alpha’s fingers twisted in his hair as they kissed. When they stopped for breath, the blond pressed his forehead against Sasuke’s. “I was so afraid. Never leave me again.” The fingers in his hair moved to pet the back of Sasuke’s neck, and he purred softly, enjoying the warmth of his mate’s touch.

“You have me,” Sasuke allowed, and the thought hardly annoyed him anymore. Instead, he just felt a wave of heat, and his body demanding him to move things along. He could conceive, and that seemed to make his desire blaze even hotter. “Let me have you,” he requested. He felt the fever of his desire take any nervous thoughts away and replace them with lust. Sasuke wrapped his legs around his mate’s clothed hips, needing the weight pressed against his core to remind his body that it would get what it wanted soon.

“I’m afraid,” Naruto admitted into the hollow of Sasuke’s neck, his whole body stilling. It was jarring how the eagerness the alpha had shown when he arrived had drained away as soon as it was time to act. Sasuke’s eyes narrowed as his mind tried to align the facts. It clicked. Naruto’s feral state must have overridden his usual decision making before. That meant that Naruto still needed to be convinced. 

“You already did it,” Sasuke coaxed. Sasuke rolled his body against the alpha and heard him gasp, and the arms around Sasuke’s body tightened. Sasuke undid Naruto’s robe and felt more bare skin against his own. He could feel the weight of the alpha’s cock then. It was hard and hot as it rested against him, and twitched as Sasuke traced his fingertips over it. He was unable to suppress a needy whine.

“We shouldn’t press it,” Naruto gasped, equally full of need, grinding his hips unconsciously against Sasuke’s. The omega raised his eyebrows, wondering if the alpha knew how contradicting he was being. Sasuke tightened his arms around Naruto’s shoulders, and the alpha shifted even closer, kissing him deeply while pushing their hips together. “I can’t lose you. Not when you’re finally mine,” the alpha panted. “If you’re not strong enough, bad things will happen.” With the hard lines of Naruto’s body pressed into his, and his heat threatening to consume him entirely if he didn’t obey, Sasuke didn’t care about anything bad that could happen. 

“Don’t make me ask again,” Sasuke snipped. The alpha’s chest rumbled as he responded with a soft warning growl. Sasuke kissed Naruto’s jaw submissively to smooth out the bite of his tone. “You saw the fire I made,” the omega added. He could feel a drop of his mate’s fluids smearing against his stomach. “No one entered.” Naruto nodded, closing his eyes and taking a harsh breath. The alpha sat up for a moment to allow Sasuke to tug off his shirt. “I’m strong enough, and you owe it to me,” Sasuke coaxed, stroking a hand slowly up Naruto’s chest.

The alpha growled, but it lacked any real edge. “You’re so bossy,” Naruto told him, pressing kisses up Sasuke’s throat and making him exhale shakily and tip his head back. The omega smirked, slipping out of his own articles quickly so Naruto could mold their bodies back together. He moaned loudly when the alpha succumbed to his desire, sinking his teeth into Sasuke’s mark again. “But all you’re asking for over and over is to be mine.” 

Sasuke’s mind went blank at the feeling of the bite, and his body shuddered with pleasure when the alpha soothed the imprints with his tongue. He barely re-centered himself in time to feel the alpha entering him, sliding into place and filling that hunger behind Sasuke’s belly button. 

He could feel himself stretching pleasurably as he took his mate in. His body instantly relaxed, and waves of satisfaction crashed over the omega. He remembered to breathe with a small gasp, his lungs fluttering like birds in his ribcage. “How’s that?” The alpha’s hot breath against his mark made Sasuke tremble. He panted out his pleasure as the alpha slowly began to move. “Can’t talk?” Naruto teased, leaning back a bit so he could watch Sasuke’s expression of pleasure.

Sasuke didn’t bother answering. He just closed his eyes and let the alpha have him, let the growing pleasure have him. He turned his face towards his partner, and Naruto kissed him, moving one hand to his cheek to gentle him as they mated. Sasuke purred, his eyelashes fluttering. “Harder-” he breathed.

Naruto gripped Sasuke’s hip, and shoulder and Sasuke breathed out a shaky breath of anticipation as the alpha’s powerful body tensed. He cried out when his mate thrust, friction lighting up all his nerves and making all his muscles contract. Their bodies struck, and pleasure shot up his spine, making his toes curl up. He arched into the impact. While before the powerful stroking inside him had already been deeply satisfying, now the thrusts shook that space deep inside Sasuke that had just been opened. It didn’t take much of that before he came, shaking and clenching around Naruto’s cock.

His womb quivered desperately. He wanted- he needed- “Tie me,” he begged against the curve of his alpha’s jawline. He kissed the small love bite that was beginning to form there and stroked his palms over the strong planes of the alpha’s back. Naruto growled softly and thrust his knot against Sasuke’s slit. Sasuke’s breath hitched as he stretched around its mass. He whimpered, his eyes rolling back as his entrance opened around the thickest part of it. 

Sasuke released a strangled moan as its weight settled inside him. Naruto cupped his cheek again and kissed him deeply. Sasuke moaned into Naruto’s mouth, letting the alpha steal his breath. Their tongues met in soft, needy caresses, until Sasuke fell from Naruto’s lips, gasping as Naruto’s knot began to increase in size, tying him tightly.

He reached between them and rubbed the base of Naruto’s knot with his fingertips. The alpha whined, biting his lip. In response to even that slight touch, a thick spurt of cum hit Sasuke’s walls. Feeling that, the omega shuddered, trailing his fingers over the stretched lips of his opening. 

“You’re so gorgeous,” Naruto praised. Heat pooled deep inside Sasuke as he felt his mate’s seed pouring into him. Sasuke grasped his own cock and stroked it slowly. He gasped as the pleasure made his body contract around Naruto’s knot, milking more of his mate’s release from it. The alpha panted, his hips rolling slightly, pressing the knot even deeper.

Sasuke stroked himself steadily as Naruto kept up his slight motions, careful not to pull hard on their join. Sasuke nodded, moaning his encouragement for Naruto to keep going. He wanted to come, and the combined stimulation was bringing him quickly to the edge. He sped up his hand and tightened his grip a little. It was enough. The tightening coil of pleasure snapped, and Sasuke felt his release take him.

He couldn’t think. Naruto’s words were mostly just intonations of pleasure, happiness with Sasuke mixed with a shower of kisses and petting. Sasuke leaned into the affection. His body was loose from orgasm, and he flowed like water when Naruto moved him into a comfortable position to lay down and cuddle. “You're so perfect,” Naruto promised. “My first.” Sasuke purred and let himself slip into sleep. He was still exhausted from the past few days. 

When Sasuke awoke again, he had a bit of clarity to work with. Naruto had followed his suit and fallen asleep. Sasuke squirmed until he and Naruto slipped apart. Their join was still wet, their mixed release sticking them together. There was a pleasure even from separating. It was a carnal sensation from deep inside him. The alpha mumbled softly in his sleep, rolling over. Sasuke dipped his fingers into himself, and Naruto’s release oozed out of him. It was thick and body warm. Sasuke shivered, feeling another set of contractions climb from his entrance into his belly.

Maybe he had less clarity than he thought. 

Sasuke thought seriously about waking Naruto for more, but he seemed to be at the end of his heat, and so he more urgently wanted a bath and something to eat. He knelt at his alpha’s side and pressed a kiss to his softly breathing mouth. Naruto bumped Sasuke’s nose with his own and sleepily squeezed the omega’s hand, but didn’t seem inclined to get up, so Sasuke left him.

XXX

A day or two after the end of Sasuke’s heat Naruto found the omega kneeling by the hearth, making flames with his eyes and putting them out. Naruto approached carefully, not wanting Sasuke to whip around and set him ablaze. 

“Do you want to learn to fight?” he asked. He’d been turning it over in his mind, and it really just seemed like the best option. “I think you should come train and then run missions with me.” Naruto could admit he’d underestimated the Uchiha’s power, and the way things were between the different clans, it would comfort Naruto to keep Sasuke by his side always.

Sasuke closed his eyes, and the fire vanished, leaving only white-hot coals, which smoldered and turned red as they cooled in the hearth. He turned around, and his eyes flashed with a challenge. Naruto took a cautious step back. “If I do, will you gloat about it?”

“Don’t be like that, babe,” Naruto soothed, braving moving closer and kneeling beside Sasuke. He put an arm around his mate’s shoulders and squeezed until his expression softened. Naruto kissed Sasuke’s cheek in silent apology. Maybe he had been rude before, but he didn’t want to continue that.

“I’ll do it,” Sasuke agreed after a moment. “Only since I can’t go outside alone otherwise.” Naruto nodded. Sasuke leaving alone, even after their bond had been fully realized, was not what Naruto considered a good idea. There was no way to be sure that the Snake Sannin or Sasuke’s family had given up on taking him away. “You’re a Senju ally, and so am I,” Sasuke sighed. “I just won’t fight my family,” he swore.

“I already refuse to fight your family on the battlefield,” Naruto clarified. “When I came home hurt, that was why.”

“Oh,” Sasuke breathed. “You never said.”

Naruto grinned. “I think your brother kicked my ass.” Sasuke stood, and they began walking along the outside of the house to the armory, where Naruto’s weapons and other gear were stored. 

“Sounds like Itachi,” Sasuke smirked, confirming that the two omega looked and smelled far too similar to just be members of the same clan. Sasuke’s brows creased as he sank into thought. “Do you think Kisame may recover?”

“He was the alpha?” Naruto couldn’t keep the growl out of his voice.

“He was the one who tried to claim me,” Sasuke confirmed plainly, his expression closing. Naruto could tell Sasuke was in distress but couldn’t figure out exactly why. 

Naruto opened the sliding door to the armory and let Sasuke enter before him. He was stalling for time until his possessive feelings died down.

“Do you… care about him?” he asked carefully. That idea upset Naruto, but he had to be ready for the possibility that they had some kind of bond since Sasuke had probably known Kisame since before he’d presented as an omega.

“Not really,” Sasuke replied, shaking his head. “But he was my brother’s alpha.” Which meant that Kisame’s death would have broken their bond. It wasn’t an easy thing for an omega to go through. The alpha was relieved it was concern over a family member, instead of Sasuke being upset Kisame had died for other reasons.

“He’s probably dead,” Naruto admitted. He thought about the brutal sensation of Kisame’s face crushing under his fist. “Definitely, after being aflame like he was.” Sasuke made a grim expression. He must be pitying Itachi, and now so did Naruto. Naruto wondered if he should feel shame for killing Kisame. He didn’t want to, but if Sasuke wanted it, he would try. 

“Okay, so first things first,” Naruto deflected awkwardly, veering away from that thought path. “Do you know how to use a weapon?”

“I want a sword. A real one,” his omega replied. He walked over to a rack of swords. Fine katana’s that Naruto had won after winning important battles. They were finely made, but since Naruto mostly fought with chakra, teeth, and claws, they were mostly symbolic. Sasuke stretched onto his toes and pointed at one of the top ones. “That one.” Its sheath was glossy black wood with silver furnishings. 

Naruto nodded, and Sasuke took it down. There was clear reverence in the way he cupped it in his hands, gently figuring out how to hold it, before gripping it more solidly. He drew it slightly to look at the sharp edge, and there was a slight whine of the steel against the sheathing. When Sasuke looked up into Naruto’s eyes, the alpha could tell he was pleased. “And my short-sword,” Sasuke reminded him sharply. “which I hope you washed and maintained normally.”

Naruto grinned. “I did it afterward.”

Naruto’s mate rolled his dark eyes. He took them not being crimson as a strong sign he wasn’t about to get badly scorched. “Shut up.”

“How are you gonna hold it?” Sasuke stretched out his arm and raised his eyebrows. His expression asked if Naruto was really going to try to criticize his technique of just holding something. Naruto suppressed a laugh, and then a sound of worry. Sasuke really was way too naive to send to war. “Like when you’re walking miles and miles for a mission?”

“You’d let me go on missions?” Sasuke's expression became guarded and somehow fragile.

“For now, you can get used to carrying a weapon if we travel,” Naruto hedged. Maybe he had been too hasty earlier because after having offered it so easily before, it felt like he was taking something away by changing his mind. Sasuke was capable. He could survive on his own, maybe. But he had no idea how to travel really, or complete an objective without any unnecessary complications. Naruto would gladly give Sasuke any weapon he wanted, but the omega was not ready to travel alone or work as a warrior.

He looked at the omega and felt a stab of pain when Sasuke’s mouth quivered into a pout before he could smooth it out again. He pulled Sasuke against him and pressed a kiss to his mate’s temple. Sasuke leaned into him, but his face didn’t move from thinly veiled resignation. “I was serious about it, but I’m worried, okay?” 

“I can be patient,” Sasuke told him. It must seem to Sasuke that he’d failed a test, failed to secure Naruto’s confidence. Naruto didn’t know what to say since it was pretty much the truth. Sasuke didn’t even know what gear he needed. 

“I haven’t seen it yet,” Naruto teased, pressing more soothing kisses along Sasuke’s face. 

“Dumbass,” Sasuke sighed, tipping his head. The movement showed the gleaming skin of their bondmark under his collar, and Naruto abandoned kissing Sasuke’s jaw to taste it. “I have a sword now,” Sasuke tried the threaten, but his voice was too breathy to take seriously. 

“I’m shaking.” Naruto felt it in Sasuke’s posture when the omega’s patience with him ran out. In a second, Sasuke huffed and put a hand on Naruto’s chest, pushing him off. Naruto let his mate slip from his arms and go around the armory, inspecting other things he might want to call his own.

Naruto opened a trunk. He went rifling through it for a moment before he discovered what he was looking for. “How about this belt?” He asked, holding it up. It was meant to go around the shoulder and waist and had slots meant for the sheaths of swords. It had places where it could be tightened, or loosened, to fit the wearer. 

Sasuke came back over and took it. He turned it in his hands a few times, figuring it out, and then put it on. “Then leg guards, arm guards.” Sasuke plucked them from his hands and let Naruto keep digging in the chest. Someone would have to refold this, and Naruto hoped it wouldn’t have to be him. He looked Sasuke over. What was still missing? “You need shoes. Not that you aren’t cute barefoot.” Sasuke gave him a small smile and another eye-roll for that one. Sasuke stepped into the shoes, and he didn’t seem quite sure how to walk. 

His previous shoes had been made of skin and hadn’t had the gap between the big toe and the rest. The shoes Naruto gave him must feel really weird. But they were normal for warriors, though, and better for moving. “We have to have you practice doing stuff in these.” Sasuke nodded, the discomfort with his feet clear on his face. “You look kinda scary,” Naruto admitted, taking in his mate all decked out for a fight. Maybe for effect, or maybe because he felt powerful and excited, Sasuke’s eyes activated, becoming red. “Wah! Don’t make those eyes at me. I’ll catch fire!”

“Then stop fooling around,” Sasuke drawled, looking away.

“Never.” Naruto watched Sasuke’s brows draw together. The omega focused on a spot on the floor until his eyes turned dark again. “So you have fire and lightning chakra, right?” Naruto asked. “What else can you do?” Sasuke shrugged. “Walk on water, up trees?”

Sasuke blinked. “What?”

Naruto bit his lip. “They really didn’t let you do anything.”

Sasuke folded his arms, scowling. “We’re here to fix that, not talk about it.”

Naruto considered for a moment. Sasuke was really capable of a lot for having done none of the basic chakra controlling practices. “Okay, well, can you turn your eyes back on? No fire, please, just looking.” Sasuke nodded. “Teaching you a bunch of kid stuff is fine, but not if there’s a shortcut, so let's try?”

“Step back. I’m not fully sure what makes there be fire or not.” Sasuke looked up at Naruto with red eyes when he was ready. Naruto was starting to notice a pattern. If he saw three points, Sasuke was looking, but his eyes before the fire had looked different.

“I think we’re good.” His fire eyes had a geometric pattern with six sharp points. Naruto gave his mate a thumbs up. Even if he mostly trusted what he saw and Sasuke’s intentions, knowing that Sasuke had so much raw power and so little practice with them put him on edge. “I heard the eyes can copy anything they’ve seen.” Sasuke shrugged.

“I don’t know about copying anything, but my vision is improved,” Sasuke decided. He jerked his head to the door, all business. “Go do some of the kid stuff.” Naruto kind of liked Sasuke’s voice when it got deep and gave him orders. He blushed. For an alpha, these were definitely perverted thoughts.

“Okay,” Naruto delayed, trying to figure out what to show his mate. Then he shrugged. The best way to learn was by doing. “Actually, follow me.” He jumped up and stuck to the bark of a tree with his hands and feet. He climbed with chakra alone instead of using his claws so Sasuke would see how. 

When he’d reached an upper branch, he checked behind him and saw Sasuke following. He had a strong feeling that the Sharingan could copy things because it had taken him days to learn to climb with chakra, even in the slower, much more deliberate way Sasuke was doing it. He put his full hand against the bark each time, then seemed to wait to solidify contact, and only then did he move his other palm up.

Naruto grinned and leaped from the tree onto a thick branch on the next, larger tree. He stuck himself to the branch with chakra so he wouldn’t slip off. Sasuke followed. Naruto leaped again, but that time he felt the branch splinter under his weight. He’d underestimated the strength of the tree, and his chakra had shocked the structure of the plant enough that it just decided to let the branch go. Naruto had a moment to realize all this before he was falling. He knew he’d survive, but it would hurt like a bitch. Before he could cushion himself with Kurama’s chakra, someone grabbed the collar of his shirt. 

There was a slight wobble, and Naruto stiffened, wondering if whatever had caught him would fall too. The alpha looked up and saw Sasuke standing perpendicular to the tree trunk. It was hard to stay looking up like that, so Naruto slackened in his mate’s grip, resigned to be being carried by his scruff like a kit. “I thought you said this was kids stuff,” the omega mocked, walking carefully (and with a little bit of wavering) down the tree until Naruto’s feet touched the ground. 

“Fuck off,” Naruto countered, rolling his neck to loosen it back up. Nearly falling had made him understandably tensed up. He could hear the omega smirking behind him. “Smug bitch,” he growled. “We’re here anyway,” he added, gesturing at the shimmering pond. he stepped out onto the water and heard his mate inhale softly. “Cool, right?” Sasuke stared at his feet for a moment before trying it. When he had both feet planted on the water, he looked up at Naruto. His eyes gleamed with excitement. “Draw your sword.”

“And you?” Sasuke asked, taking the blade from its sheath on his back.

Naruto felt his hip and found a knife, the blade not much longer than his hand. “This?” He flipped it in his hand once or twice. It was more of a utility knife, but he was used to handling it. It felt good. He nodded, taking a fighting stance.

Sasuke hesitated, his eyes moving between his katana and Naruto’s much less impressive looking knife. “You’re sure?” 

“I can heal, and you’re underestimating how long it takes to swing that thing,” Naruto told him. He lifted his blade in a defensive motion, holding it horizontal across his chest. “No chakra, for now, don’t hold back anything else.”

The omega drew his sword the rest of the way. He moved like no fresh omega Naruto had ever seen. He drew the sword from behind him without looking and managed to not even nick himself. Sasuke, Naruto realized, knew exactly where every part of his body was. Even with no experience, that would make him very dangerous in battle.

His mate charged, and Naruto saw sparks spring from where their blades made contact with great force. Sasuke didn’t draw the blade back cleanly. Instead, there was this dirty, grinding sound as the two iron blades bit into each other. Sasuke yanked his sword back to disengage, planting a foot into Naruto’s stomach to get the space.

Naruto skidded across the surface of the lake, wheezing. He grinned. He’d always known Sasuke would be a vicious fighter. “You’re such a bitch,” he complimented. Sasuke gave a little smirk, and then he was charging again, blade held at an angle over his shoulder. It was too obvious of a move, but Sasuke just needed to try moves and see counters to begin with.

Naruto deflected the attack easily, but Sasuke was fast and spun in place, bringing the blade slanting down from the other direction. Naruto dodged and escaped harm, but his sleeve was not so lucky. Sasuke was too fast to keep dodging, and Naruto wouldn’t be able to teach the omega to defend if he didn’t start attacking himself.

He brought the knife forwards in a sharp, shallow swipe, and Sasuke shouted in surprise as Naruto shallowly nicked his belly. The alpha instantly felt guilt course through him, but no. Sasuke wanted to learn to fight. That injury was little more than a scrape, even to a human. When Naruto made his next swipe, Sasuke jumped back too far and was out of range. Naruto saw in Sasuke’s eyes when he realized this and decided to use his blade's extended range to his advantage. 

His mate pressed forward, swiping at Naruto with his blade from what he probably felt was a safe distance. Naruto appreciated the attempt, but Sasuke had to know he couldn’t rely on it. Naruto enhanced his speed with chakra and flung himself right at the blade.

Sasuke hissed as his arm was batted aside. Naruto ducked the blade and swooped through Sasuke’s defenses, surging up inside of his guard to attack again. If there was one thing a short-range fighter like Naruto knew how to do, it was get up close. Sasuke froze when Naruto’s knife touched his throat, and one of his feet sank a few inches into the water as he forgot to control his chakra. “That’s enough for today,” Naruto growled, watching a drop of blood bead on Sasuke’s pale skin.

“Because I was about to slit you open,” Sasuke gloated, remaining still so the blade wouldn’t dig in. His eyes became black again, but they stayed wide, and his breath fluttered softly in his throat. It was as much as a declaration of trust in Sasuke’s quiet language. The omega carefully lifted his chin from the blade and then brought his foot back onto the surface of the water. Naruto sheathed his blade on his hip.

“You wish,” the alpha growled, putting a hand on the omega’s lower back and pulling him close. Sasuke released a brief purr, and Naruto kissed him. His mouth was hot from exertion, and his scent was peaked and fiery. The alpha gave himself over to his urges and cleaned the small cut on the omega’s throat with his tongue, licking at the mark until it didn’t bleed anymore.

Then he got onto his knees and cleaned the omega’s nicked belly. Sasuke moaned, his legs beginning to quiver. Once again, the omega’s feet began to sink into the water’s surface. He wobbled, trying to stay upright. “Don’t say it,” Sasuke breathed, setting his hands onto Naruto’s shoulders for support. Naruto paused in teasing the smooth skin of Sasuke’s navel to let him find his footing again. 

“We should continue on dry land,” Naruto suggested, standing up and taking his mate’s hand. Sasuke nodded and eagerly followed him. As soon as Sasuke was on solid ground, he placed Naruto’s hand on his hip and put his arms around the alpha’s shoulders. “How do you feel?” Naruto asked, placing his forehead on his mate’s.

“Can’t complain,” Sasuke replied. Naruto watched his face for any traces of the unhappiness he’d expressed earlier, but he seemed calm. Naruto stroked the omega’s cheek gently. “Don’t hover,” Sasuke complained, his brow ticking in annoyance. Naruto flushed, grinning sheepishly. “I want to become stronger quickly,” the omega explained. His eyes were uncharacteristically soft when he admitted: “I... understand your worry.” He touched his belly, which sported a fine beading of renewed blood. 

Naruto knelt and cleaned the shallow cut with his mouth again, eliciting soft sighs of pleasure from his mate. Sasuke shuddered above him as Naruto trailed his lips lower. Naruto grinned against his mate’s smooth skin, inching down until he was parting Sasuke’s garments and tugging out his already interested cock. The alpha felt his stomach flip with nervous excitement as he pressed his lips to the warm velvet of his mate’s hardening shaft. He wanted to give Sasuke the feeling of control that the omega complained about needing. He felt Sasuke’s fingers gently curl up in his hair, giving soft encouraging tugs. Naruto pressed open-mouthed kisses on the warm skin. Sasuke’s male part twitched in Naruto’s palm as he gently caressed it.

The alpha licked his lips and then tasted the tip with his tongue, lapping at the saltiness of his mate’s fluids. Sasuke gasped and started tugging hard, making the tip of his dick bump against Naruto’s lips. With a soft whimper, Naruto let Sasuke press into his mouth, curling his lips over his canines to protect his mate’s flushed, translucent skin. The omega nudged his cock slowly forward until Naruto’s nose bumped against his navel. Sasuke’s intoxicating scent was pouring off him, especially in the dense nest of dark whorls that surrounded the base of his cock. Naruto's eyes fluttered as he took a deep breath through his nose, scenting everything he loved about his mate. He swallowed, feeling Sasuke’s cock nudge the back of his throat. The omega released a strangled moan above him, and he could feel fingers twitching and tugging against his scalp. Sasuke’s legs were beginning to shake too.

Naruto bobbed his head, stroking the omega shaft with his lips and tongue. The omega cried out, his body curling forward over Naruto’s head. The omega’s dick throbbed and released a salty pearl of fluid. Naruto moaned dizzily as Sasuke’s essence filled his senses. He… wanted more. Naruto sucked hard, and Sasuke’s stomach muscles jumped, and he released a shout. Another pearl of thick, salty flavor beaded on his tongue. Naruto would have sucked his omega off till he came, burying himself in the perversion of it, but instead, Sasuke pushed Naruto’s shoulders, gasping as the suction from Naruto’s mouth popped. “On your back,” the omega panted. “Now.”

Naruto laughed, laying down how the omega had told him. Sasuke touched his knees lightly before spreading them with a decisive movement. Naruto’s stomach flipped. He wanted to resist instinctively because he was an alpha, and he shouldn’t be the one being pushed down. He forced his way through the urge. He untied his clothing and parted them, smoothing his palms over his body. He looked up curiously. Was he still desirable lying underneath someone, instead of on top? He inhaled shakily when he met Sasuke’s swirling dark eyes. The omega’s cock bobbed against his pale belly. If Naruto submitted to it, Sasuke would-

He whimpered when Sasuke pushed a finger into him. The omega did it slowly but without stopping. The finger felt slick from his mate’s fluids, but it was still a sudden falling sort of pleasure. Naruto felt his cock throb as Sasuke rubbed at something sensitive. The alpha moved to stroke himself but was stopped before he could. “No,” Sasuke told him simply. Naruto whined in frustration, letting his hands rest in fists to either side of him. Sasuke smirked and added another finger to Naruto’s clenching opening. The alpha groaned, his thighs quivering, squeezing Sasuke’s warm body for comfort. Like this, not much of them were actually pressed together yet. He wanted more touch. He pulled Sasuke’s free hand to his chest. Sasuke stroked Naruto’s skin softly with his thumb and fixed Naruto with a dark, possessive expression. He removed his fingers, and Naruto whimpered again, feeling empty. He didn’t wait for long, though.

Sasuke groaned, his short nails digging into Naruto’s hips as he thrust in. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes were closed from pleasure. Naruto felt invaded, but Sasuke’s pleasured expression turned him on enough that Naruto felt more than willing to accept it. “You really like that, huh?” Naruto panted, his breath hitching softly as Sasuke made his first, shallow thrusts.

“Better than your artless way,” Sasuke snapped, shifting his position, so hands bracketed Naruto’s shoulders. When Sasuke took a deep breath and opened his eyes again, they were glowing and blood-colored. He thrust again, and at that angle, the pressure made Naruto cry out. The Uchiha smirked, making Naruto flush. He was being watched so closely. It felt like Sasuke was memorizing him. He suddenly understood the urge to cover his face, like an omega.

“You love my ‘artless way’,” Naruto teased breathlessly, going against his instincts once again. He was rewarded for it with pleasure as Sasuke’s body kept rocking insistently into his. “You’re- a slut for it.” He put his arms around Sasuke’s shoulders and kissed him, rolling his hips slightly upward the way he had seen Hinata do, and remembered feeling really good to his own cock. The omega went still, except for kissing Naruto back.

“Don’t move,” Sasuke hissed, his voice trembling as strong tremors moved through his body. Sasuke shook like that when he was trying not to come yet. Naruto experimentally placed a submissive kiss under Sasuke’s jaw and felt the omega’s hips jerk. Sasuke put his hand on Naruto’s throat and pushed him to lie flat again. “I don’t want to finish yet,” he told Naruto, forbidding any more teasing. Naruto lay under him, quivering. Getting pushed around made his body feel so sensitive. Naruto stroked his mate’s fine forearm, feeling the muscles tense up underneath his fingers.

“Oh shit,” Naruto gasped, his throat working under Sasuke’s hand, which had stayed on his throat, and was now supporting some of the omega’s quickly increasing weight. The omega pressed down harder as his thrusts sped up, and Naruto had to fight for breath. He felt himself clench. He felt so shameless. So perverse. An omega was making him their bitch. He was an alpha, but he was moaning and gasping at the rough, raw feeling of a cock moving inside him. “Uh-huh,” Naruto choked, his eyes rolling back. Sasuke’s hips struck Naruto roughly, filling the forest air with lewd slapping sounds. The alpha spread his legs wider and cried out when the next thrust penetrated deeper into him, shooting pleasure up his spine. “Don’t stop,” Naruto begged.

Sasuke leaned down and kissed him, forcing his tongue roughly into the alpha’s mouth. He whimpered as his mouth and ass were fucked at the same time. Her voice raised to a high keening when Sasuke found Naruto’s sensitive spot and started hammering into it with terrible precision. His dick and knot throbbed nearly painfully, and Naruto shouted, thrashing as much as he could, pinned underneath the omega’s weight. “Cum like this,” Sasuke ordered, his red eyes glowing with excitement. Naruto sobbed, his body and balls spanning tight. “Hurry,” the omega urged. 

“You cum too,” Naruto heard himself beg before he lost control and came undone. “Fuck!” Sasuke released with a matching grunt of pleasure. Warmth spread out from the sensitive point deep within him, and his mind went blank. His body felt like a cloud except where Sasuke was still seated inside him, and that place throbbed with heat. Naruto shivered, feeling the warmth glowing by his spine. “You did it in me,” Naruto murmured softly, biting his lip. His heel skidded against the ground as he relaxed, going completely boneless.

“Yeah,” Sasuke breathed. His hand tightened on Naruto’s hip as he pulled out. Then the omega gripped Naruto’s come slicked cock and moved to straddle him. “It’s still hard,” Sasuke commented, seeming to decide something. Naruto wondered what, until his mate rose on his knees so he could touch Naruto’s tip to the wetness between his thighs. 

“Slow-” Naruto gasped, half sitting up “ly.” Sasuke breathed out slowly, letting his weight move him down Naruto’s oversensitive length. “Fuck,” Naruto swore, feeling Sasuke’s familiar tightness and feverish wetness stroke him.

“It's good,” Sasuke breathed, stroking himself as he started to slowly ride. He tipped his head to the side and fixed Naruto with those luminous crimson eyes again. “I like it.”

“I love it,” Naruto gasped, reaching for Sasuke’s hips. “I love you.” It bubbled out of him. Sasuke flushed a pretty pink. Then he smirked, pushing Naruto’s arms against the ground again. Naruto whined in frustration. Apparently, even though Sasuke was riding his cock- he was still supposed to be submitting. 

Sasuke swiveled his hips and pressed down, forcing Naruto’s knot up into his body. Naruto whimpered as Sasuke’s under-stretched body exerted a terrible force onto his knot. “Tie me,” Sasuke panted, repeating the swiveling motion and settling the knot even more securely in his belly. If they tied like this, it would be a while before they parted, and that thought only brought him closer. Naruto couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t think. He could only hear his mate’s voice instructing him: “Now, Naruto.”

Naruto tied, sobbing with pleasure. Sasuke came as he was knotted, spurting his seed over Naruto’s chest and stomach. “You can’t treat me like this,” Naruto whined playfully. His head was swimming, and the only thing he could identify with any certainty was their join, where they pulsed together with heat and pleasure.

“Why not?” Sasuke asked, smirking. He leaned down carefully and kissed the alpha. His breaths came quickly and shallowly as well. Their sex was so exciting, a hundred times more so when Naruto could tell for sure that the omega was enjoying it. He didn’t want to stop. Sasuke quivered as they kissed, his body milking Naruto’s knot for everything it had.

“Your red eyes are so sexy,” he told the Uchiha, when they surfaced, panting, from a round of deep, sensual kissing. He didn’t seem to be watching Naruto’s hands anymore, so Naruto grabbed onto Sasuke’s thigh and ass-cheek and tugged him closer. The omega gasped softly, his lips parting in pleasure. “Are you hypnotizing me to come when you say?”

“You idiot,” Sasuke smirked. He gave Naruto another one of his deep, owning kisses. “I don’t have to hypnotize you.” He sat back up and stroked his hands over his navel, sighing in satisfaction. At the sight of this, Naruto’s knot throbbed before pumping more seed into his mate’s warm body. Sasuke twitched slightly, his eyes going half-lidded as the quantity of Naruto’s release increased. 

By knotting like this- even just by having sex since Sasuke had been opened, they were allowing a child to happen. Actually, Naruto thought, the way they were fucking, they were basically working on a child. Naruto gave his mate ample seed whenever he wanted it, but Sasuke was the one taking all the risks related to that onto himself. He did it without blinking. Naruto touched Sasuke’s navel, placing both palms against it. The omega allowed it, and the smooth, flat plane of his tummy stayed warm against Naruto’s hands.

“What?” Sasuke asked, his voice unusually gentle. He placed his hands on top of Naruto’s. Naruto stared at the pretty, smooth skin under his fingers. Was this where their child would live until it was born? Would it be born? Would he get to keep his omega too? Naruto felt his chest tighten and was careful not to let that translate to the gentle way he was touching his mate. “What?” Sasuke repeated, insistent.

What would their baby look like? Would he be able to happily compare, or would its face just be a painful reminder of Sasuke? “Nothing,” Naruto lied, his eyes shifting from Sasuke’s. They were too sharp, even when Sasuke wasn’t aggressive.

Sasuke’s expression shifted through a few things, then smoothed out, and Naruto knew the omega had already figured out everything going on in his head. “I already told you thinking doesn’t suit you,” Sasuke teased. The omega winced slightly, and his eyes became black again. His hand left its place on top of Naruto’s to rub absently at his cheekbone. Then he sighed and laid down on Naruto’s chest, his elbows tucked against his body in a way that made it very tempting for Naruto to wrap his arms around him.

Naruto stroked his palm over the omega’s dark hair and squeezed the other arm around Sasuke’s waist. Sasuke’s breaths went soft and even as he rested, completely relaxed and secure in Naruto’s arms. Naruto stared up into the canopy of leaves above him and accepted the happiness that bubbled out of him at the moment. The anxiety, he ignored. He did his best, anyway.

Eventually, Naruto’s knot relaxed enough for Sasuke to slide off him, and the omega did, yawning drowsily. Naruto watched him stretch his long, pale body. Then Sasuke stood, going down to the lake to wash himself off. He came back and put his clothes on. “Let’s head home,” Naruto’s mate suggested, picking up his sword belts and putting them on.

Naruto stood and made his own trip to the water to clean off, and then the pair walked home.

The moment they stepped inside, the scent of Hinata’s heat crept up around him. Despite having spent himself inside Sasuke within the past few hours, his body was ready again, and his cock twitched with interest. “Hinata’s in it,” he told Sasuke. “It’s strong.” Sasuke nodded and kind of melted away, off to do whatever he liked for the next few days. Naruto hoped he would be responsible because Naruto was unlikely to check on him as much during that time.

“Hey princess,” he greeted. She’d chosen a similar location for the room as Sasuke had: it was in the center of the house, protected on all sides. Other than that, Hinata nested differently from Sasuke. Sasuke created a smaller space to curl up in, while Hinata had spread hers out so that it nearly reached the door. She’d piled up blankets and created a small dimple in the center of it, where she’d curled herself up like a little bird or a bunny. 

She was adorable. She sat up, her nose quivering as she took in his scent. Definitely a bunny, then. She was under a sheet, but he could see her delicate hands poking out as she reached for him. “I’m so hot, sir.” As he got closer, he could see she was already naked. Her plump, soft-looking body squirmed atop the blankets. She could feel his eyes. “Please hurry.”

“I got you,” he agreed, carefully crawling into her nest. He didn’t want to disturb its carefully crafted raised sides. She was all over him the moment he settled down, pouring herself on top of him. She kissed him passionately and pulled his hand between her soft white thighs. “You’re so fucking wet,” Naruto groaned, feeling her slickness dripping over his fingers. She was so wet it didn’t stay by the entrance- instead, it had spread all over her lips and inner thighs.

“Mmm,” she moaned in agreement. There wasn’t any point in preparing her when she was like this, and the way she pulled on his cock to line them up spoke for itself. Naruto spared a moment to get naked and struggled to get out of his shirt until Hinata reached behind him and basically yanked it off. He’d never seen her so impatient before. 

“You want me to speed up?” Naruto teased, kissing all along her neck as he rolled her onto her back. It would be easier to thrust into her if he was on top.

“No,” she giggled, turning her head so there would be more skin for him to kiss and nibble. “I like it slow too,” she murmured, wrapping her legs around him. Everything was there for his taking. She could feel the warmth radiating from her. He took a deep breath at her pulse and felt his world shutter down to her, laying under him; Her scent demanded it. His bitch was deep in her heat. “Just as long as you’re moving-” He took himself in hand and penetrated her deep. “in me-” She was soft, but she was springy and tight around him.

She released a soft moan of pleasure, squeezing her legs around him to push him deeper. “Hinata,” he groaned, thrusting slow and deep into her. She moaned her appreciation, wrapping her arms gently around his shoulders and hugging him close. “I’m sorry if things have been rushed,” he murmured to her. The alpha put a hand on her cheek and touched her mouth gently with his thumb. She parted her mouth, and his thumb was enveloped in warmth. “It’s been crazy, right?” He asked, rolling his hips on top of her. She nodded, her eyes partly unfocused as she listened to him through her pleasure. “But now that that spoiled first of mine is sorted out, I can spend more time on you, right?”

“Please, sir,” she agreed, laughing. Naruto kissed her, twisting up her long black hair in his fist. He tugged hard, and she tipped her head back, shuddering in pleasure. Naruto’s mouth watered as he traced his fingers over the fine silvery skin of her mark. Hinata whimpered at his touch, her breath becoming shallow and quick as he leaned closer, teeth bared.

She cried out in pleasure when he bit down. “You really like that?” Hinata pushed her hips up into his desperately, her wetness fluttering beautifully around him. She whined loudly when he licked the mark, nodding desperately. He could admit it was a little vicious when he bit down again, but her scent just did that to him.

“Uh-huh,” she encouraged, and then- “you can be a little rougher.”

“Can I?” He asked, flushing when he heard the excitement in his own voice. The last time he’d fucked as hard as he wanted, Sasuke hadn’t talked to him all day. Hell, the omega hasn’t walked all day. He’d been holding back a lot, so knowing he could move even just a bit harder was amazing. He thrust freely, and Hinata tipped her body up against it, shuddering forcefully in his arms. “Ooh, good girl,” he praised, feeling half of his knot sink into her. “You want me to tie you?” He asked, biting his lip. “You’re ready?”

Hinata nodded eagerly, kissing enthusiastically under his jaw. It wasn’t just submission; it was… exuberant submission. Naruto’s cock twitched hard, and he growled, restraining his hips from forcing his knot all in at once. “I’ve been ready, sir,” she encouraged, tightening her legs around him. He felt his knot shift another inch deeper. Her entrance was deliciously squeezing the widest part of him. “Don’t wait any longer,” she begged.

“I don’t wanna overdo it, make you faint,” Naruto groaned, shaking his head, as he resisted the urge of his hips to drive forward and tie her. Hinata mewled softly, her voice rising with each of his twitches, but then she got impatient and put her fist on his lower back and pulled him till his knot settled fully inside her. He tied instantly.

“If I faint-” she breathed, rolling her hips against his. “Just keep going.” She pressed another kiss to his jaw, and he tugged on her hair, turning her face so their lips would meet. He was filling her. He could feel the warmth of his release spurting into her.

He paused for breath and asked, “Are you sure?”

“Mmm,” she affirmed, raking her fingers across his back. Naruto growled the sensation tensed his muscles. “I’m yours,” she promised. There was nothing to her but gentle honesty and acceptance. Naruto kissed her again. “Amazing,” She praised. Just like Sasuke, she pressed her hands under her belly button. Maybe she could feel his seed flooding into her womb. “Wonderful,” she praised, kissing him happily. “I can do it. You’ll see.”

He’d been trying not to think of that. “Yeah,” he sighed, squeezing her tighter. He couldn’t breathe, and in the next few seconds, he felt tears begin to roll down his eyes.

“You really are too sensitive for an alpha,” Hinata teased. “Come here,” she requested. He was inches from her at the farthest, so she must mean to kiss her. He did, and she hummed happily against his lips. He willed some of that hopeful optimism to infect him. “I’m heiress to the Hyuuga. It’s not as if I’m some low-class omega,” she told him serenely.

“I know,” Naruto sighed. “I just worry because you’re both newly grown omega.” He bit his lip. “I did it to Sasuke too. What if I end up alone?” He knew with complete certainty that if either of his omega died, he would feel like he had killed them.

“Shh,” Hinata soothed. “We won’t let that happen.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would y'all be for or against some Uchiha-cest in later chapters? It's already gonna have to Uchiha on Uchiha voyeurism, as before. Extra spice yes or no? lmk in the comments or whatever.

Sasuke was sitting on a small cushion and enjoying the outside air when the sliding door behind him opened. “Sasuke,” Hinata greeted, kneeling beside him. Her posture was kept as careful and fine as always. She looked up at him from below her dark lashes. “My dearest first.”

“Don’t be silly,” Sasuke scoffed, smirking at her. He knew enough about her theatrics of politeness by then. She put her arms and head in his lap, and he stroked the silky curtain of her hair. He could admit that he enjoyed how its cool weight flowed through his fingers. “What do you need?” 

“As of last night, I can conceive, like you,” Hinata murmured, pleased. Sasuke nodded. He had noticed the slight shift in the scent that wafted up from her hair as he played with it. He wasn’t as finely tuned as Naruto when it came to scents, nor did he have the range of distance the alpha had, but she smelled healthy and young to him. As a female omega, she was probably even more fertile than he was. He resisted the urge to pull her hair or muss it up. Sasuke didn’t hate her being around anymore, but sometimes he still wanted to childishly tease her.

“You’re happy?” He asked, already knowing the answer. 

“Yes, very,” she replied, her expression blooming with it. “You remember when I was invited back to the Hyuuga compound for our mating to be accepted?” Sasuke nodded. He remembered. Hinata let him pet her for a moment before continuing. “It’s that time of the year for the ceremonies, and things have been going well with us-”

“And you’ve spoken to Naruto about it,” Sasuke surmised. She was going to ask him to behave on that trip then, most likely. He’d have to do his best, and she’d know not to cross him for fear of that ending. It could be a peaceful journey if they both cooperated.

“Not yet,” she corrected, shaking her head. “I haven’t told him yet what happened with Hanabi and us.” She made direct eye contact, and Sasuke’s hand stilled. There was a lot of weight in her look. “If you don’t give me permission, I will never tell him.”

It took him by surprise, naturally. He would have told his mate immediately, in her situation. And what should he do with the power he now had? Should he deny her? Should he refuse her simply because his clan had not extended their own offer of acceptance?

“Go speak to him,” Sasuke decided, pouring the power she’d given him back into her own hands. “My family won't be extending a matching offer, so there’s no point in making you wait to go second.” It was a sign of goodwill that she’d even asked him, and as soon as the childish urges in his heart died down, he knew he had to offer it back. Since Whirlpool and everything that had happened due to that trip, they were a lot closer. He’d promised to protect her, and he supposed, the included shielding her from his moods and impulses as well. There was also the not inconsequential matter of her saving his life, maybe twice or three times.

“Thank you!” Hinata cried, burying her face in his lap. “I’m glad!” She exclaimed. It was bubbling out of her. She wiggled, squeezing his legs with her arms. She sat up and straightened herself a little, but it was easy to see that she restrained herself from celebrating more. When she’d worked through her elation, she calmed and seemed to consider something carefully. In fact, her demeanor changed significantly. Hinata couldn’t ever really be calculating, but… this was astoundingly close. “Not to be too presumptuous, but I assume you’ve never been to visit the Hyuuga clan?”

“I haven’t,” Sasuke admitted. He hadn’t been much of anywhere at all. Only where he’d been taken or run away to. The closest he’d ever come to the Hyuuga clan house was viewing their land from the town's raised vantage.

“Then, if you would like, I can teach you how omega of our clan are expected to act,” his second offered, pushing the strand of her hair he’d been playing with back behind her ear. He liked touching her, and he liked her submission to him as her first.

He raised his brows at her. “Does it matter if I’m out of line?” Sasuke asked. “Won’t that just make you look better?” He pinched her cheek gently, teasing her. She squealed playfully, pushing his fingers away from her face. “I could make a scene, so they see how much Naruto approves of you compared to me.” He was teasing. He wouldn’t make a mess just to benefit Hinata. Chances were that if left to himself, he’d keep to Naruto’s side, and for the most part, say nothing to any of the Hyuuga he met.

“Usually…” Hinata replied. She hesitated and then fidgeted a little with her earring. Sasuke ran his finger over it too. It was a pretty purple crystal, and its point was cool. “I withheld something my first,” she admitted finally, flushing and looking away. She poked her two index fingers together, fidgeting nervously.

“It’s fine. What is it?” He snickered. She pouted, disliking his dismissive amusement. She was very nervous to admit this to him. He felt himself become more serious. “Hinata- what did you do?”

“I don’t want any more than the usual amount of attention on us,” she whispered, scooting closer to him. So this was something only he was meant to hear? Not even the servants... or their alpha? “I would prefer if they ignored me as much as possible because I need your help-” she paused once more and then rushed out: “freeing my cousin.” She explained further: “He’s an omega too, and we both planned to run, but only I made it to the alpha of my choice.”

“I understand,” Sasuke replied, his eyes widening. He nodded resolutely. If it was about freeing an omega, he would do anything he could to assist. “I’ll follow your lead,” he promised. He wouldn’t be the one responsible for screwing up and forcing an omega to be kept from their freedom… or at the very least, the captivity they consented to.

Hinata started telling him about their traditional behaviors and then paused. “Can you use those for this?” She asked, tapping under her eyes. “Because I can explain it, but if that helps your clan with fighting, I don’t see why it wouldn’t help with any motions you choose.”

“Maybe,” Sasuke decided. He tried it. He could see her energy flowing and through that the way her body worked. He got down from the cushion and knelt beside her. Then he observed her with his eyes and felt himself slowly shift until he was a perfect mirror of her position. He lined himself up like her down to his bones. He felt taller and more slender and... oddly powerful.

It hurt to sit like that, though. Compared to sitting with his legs crossed like he was used to, this forced multiple parts of his legs and back to stretch and put weight on his knees and ankles he wasn’t used to. It got easier as his body relaxed, and his weight distributed itself onto his calves. He had sat like this before at dinners and events, but that had been months ago. Naruto didn’t stand on any ceremony generally, and the only times recently Sasuke had been kneeling was with his alpha’s thick, hard cock working into his throat. Naturally, Sasuke’s posture in those moments had been quite unimportant to either of them. Sasuke shook that thought out of his head before the shudder of arousal working through him could permanently distract him.

“I think it’s working. You’re perfect,” Hinata complimented, clapping in approval. Sasuke shrugged, but Hinata pushed his shoulders back down, shaking her head. No more casual gestures while they were practicing. “I’m relieved that you’ll be able to meet my clan fully prepared.” She smoothed his shoulders once more and tipped his chin up a little. He hadn’t been able to copy the posture of her head because she’d been looking sideways at him. 

Once she approved of his sitting, she showed him how to stand up. “You can use this in any major household, although it would give you away as being related to me if you do it exactly like this.” She knelt, and then stood again, moving one part of herself at a time and letting Sasuke observe her perfect technique. She’d learned by practice, by doing it over and over again. He was ashamed to be relieved that he didn’t have to. “Maybe you can flavor it with your own clan’s version?”

“They didn’t teach unbonded omega to meet outsiders,” Sasuke replied, scowling. Then he added, “And I don’t want to be seen as an Uchiha.”

“But for this situation,” Hinata pleaded, putting her hands together. “They don’t know you were stolen by Naruto, but they would if your etiquette was like mine. They’d realize I taught you.” When he didn’t immediately show recognition, she added: “I want you to play the dignified first controlling me, the runaway.” Sasuke’s eyes widened. “If they thought I had spent hours teaching you how to act, it would show I was up to something immediately.”

Hinata- he’d known for a while she was more cunning than she gave away, but she still managed to surprise him every so often. She was also quite brave, but he’d been learning that. They would have to fool the people who knew Hinata best, and with a story, they would believe. He nodded, becoming more serious. Regardless of his feelings, he would do his best to imagine what it would look like if he had proceeded through a proper mating with Naruto. “What about like someone you respect within the clan. Not an elder but maybe- a friend’s parent?” Hinata wondered out loud.

She continued: “We’ve been on opposites sides of a conflict for a long time.” Sasuke nodded. That much was true. “I think there’s a good chance we’ll get away with it, and even if they think your etiquette is different from what they expect, they won’t be so rude as to call it out.” Hinata’s eyes sparkled, and she covered her mouth in a gesture that was more than mischievous. “If you play the part, they’ll just quietly decide that the Uchiha clan has odd practices.”

“More fool them,” Sasuke decided, smirking back. “As far as I know, Uchiha omega’s treat their new families the same as their old.” Not that the Hyuuga were his family. “Assuming that we aren’t asked to change,” he added. Then he shrugged. Against Hinata’s palm stopped him mid-motion. “And Naruto wouldn’t.”

“I might have to adjust his character too,” she admitted, ducking her head in amusement. Sasuke loosened his body to neutral and then sat up the way he’d had to during public ceremonies at home. He didn’t use the posture for secret ceremonies, but he doubted that he should let the Hyuuga clan see that, even if he didn’t have much love for his people. “Ah, you’re so elegant. Such a perfect omega,” Hinata gushed.

“Stop,” Sasuke sighed. Doing those ceremonies had used to be exhausting, and his body was quickly reminding him why.

“Or you would be if you could take a compliment-” Hinata teased, letting her posture go and sitting more comfortably on her thigh. Sasuke relaxed too, carefully unfolding his sore knees and ankles from under him. He realized only too late that he should have copied her maneuver. His muscles locked. Hinata giggled, watching him quiver as his body resisted. He hadn’t had to sit properly in months.

“Fuck you,” Sasuke complained, basically face down in the grass as he tried to get his legs out from under him. He knew Hinata wouldn’t take it personally, and true to that, she just laughed.

“And maybe learn to watch your mouth-“ someone added. The omega froze, twisting around to see their alpha standing in the open door.

“I’m not taking constructive criticism at this time,” Sasuke snapped, rolling over onto his side. “Assholes,” he snapped, hearing them both laugh. Then he paused. How much had Naruto heard? “So, you know.”

“I overheard the end,” Naruto replied. He sat by them, dropping down to take the empty stool. “I know Sasuke doesn’t care about acting proper, so you two must be up to something,” he added, putting his hand under Sasuke’s chin and guiding him over. Sasuke and Hinata had been keeping secrets from their alpha, so the omega didn’t disobey.

It didn’t seem like they were going to be punished right away, if at all. The omega was made to lay his head on the inside of his alpha’s thigh. He ended up kneeling the way he’d been practicing; it was the best way to stay in the position his mate wanted. His knees didn’t like it, but Naruto started petting him just how he liked, and Sasuke was not too proud anymore to admit he would put up with a lot to be touched that way. Sasuke purred as Naruto’s hand wove through his hair, and the alpha’s claws gently scraped over his scalp. Sasuke melted a bit, relaxing onto the side of his kneel like he’d seen Hinata do. That position was quite comfortable. “Well, little miss Hinata?” The alpha asked, correctly identifying his second as the ringleader.

“I was going to ask you after I got Sasuke’s permission,” she admitted instantly, scooting up beside Sasuke and putting her cheek on Naruto’s other thigh. Sasuke thought that was bold. He wouldn’t resist being handled and trusted Naruto not to hurt him badly. Still, in her position, he wouldn’t have delivered himself directly into the hands of the alpha he’d possibly offended. “I promise,” she added. Her voice was too soft, too sweet. Naruto pressed the claw of his thumb into her lip, and Sasuke felt her quiver a little where their sides were pressed together. Was she laughing or afraid?

“So Sasuke’s permission is more important than mine?” He asked, and it was still playful, but there was a sharpness under it. Sasuke felt Hinata soften, and he saw her lips part. She used softness as a weapon in ways Sasuke still didn’t understand, but it made Naruto laugh, made his touch of her lip gentle. “The way you roll over for him is gonna make me jealous,” their alpha growled, leaning low so they could see the gleam of his incisors.

She lowered her eyes and bit her lip. “I’m sorry,” Hinata apologized, nosing into his palm. Unlike Sasuke, she had almost no pride when it came to her alpha, who always wanted to argue. Although they’d made lots of progress with Naruto, he was still a prime alpha and a demon vessel. His instincts were still to act a certain way, and Hinata didn’t mind waiting while he expended that energy. 

“Shameless,” their alpha allowed, seeing it but letting it work anyway, stroking her cheek. Fondness gradually replaced the annoyed tilt to his expression. “Tell me,” he ordered. To disobey him then would have consequences. But Hinata knew that and would naturally acquiesce at this moment. She knew exactly where to withdraw and probably had learned many of her methods from watching Sasuke take it too far.

“We would be freeing my cousin and bringing him to Kiba,” she confided, keeping her voice low and conspiratorial. She scooted nearly, sliding an inch or two up his thigh. Naruto growled softly. He knew what she was doing. He wanted her to know she was pressing her luck. She retreated slightly, and she exposed her throat in submission. Naruto’s clawed fingers followed that movement touching her there. She was a little breathless when she continued: “I was always going to ask you once Sasuke agreed. I would never do it without telling you,” she promised sweetly.

Would her alpha go along with all this because she wanted him to? Neither of them had asked anything like this of Naruto before, and generally, any omega would be pressed to ask their alpha to lie or steal for them. In the stories Sasuke had heard, to ask an alpha to go out of their way, full stop, usually only happened after years of bonding. “Yeah yeah,” the alpha rumbled. “We’re gonna trick the Hyuuga?”

“Yes,” Hinata affirmed. “Yes, please, sir,” she repeated, taking his wrist and kissing his palm. She already looked pleased with herself because of his tacit agreement. Sasuke thought she should hide it a bit better.

“Don’t you care if you get accepted back to the clan?” Naruto asked, pressing his palm into her smug face and making her cry out in indignation. As far as punishments went, it was little more than a reminder not to manipulate him. Naruto grinned, and Hinata flushed. So she didn’t have him that well figured out after all. 

“I would like to care, but Neji takes priority,” Hinata answered, taking her alpha’s hand and tucking it against her cheek. She bit her lip, but her eyes were resolute. “We cannot allow mere propriety to prevent us from freeing him.”

Naruto nodded. “I’ll remember that.” His voice was neutral when he asked: “Does Kiba know we’re doing this?” Sasuke twitched; Naruto wasn’t neutral often. He was suppressing something.

“Yes,” Hinata replied quickly. She knew too, but she also knew she couldn’t lie at that moment.

“So you’ve been meeting him,” Naruto growled, and the low, threatening rumble made Sasuke quiver. The hand in his hair stilled, and the omega closed his eyes. A single sharp claw traced the nape of his neck. They extended when the alpha was angry, and he probably didn’t even realize that light petting had become a half threatening gesture. Sasuke was aware of how thin his skin was underneath his mate’s sharp talons. 

Sasuke’s heartbeat hammered, and he knew his scent was giving only pure submission. He hadn’t done anything, but Naruto was so strong, and secretly meeting another alpha was a surprisingly huge offense for someone who seemed as perfect as Hinata. Sasuke’s body wanted desperately to roll over and see if their alpha could be calmed that way, but that would be attracting attention to himself when Hinata was the one who needed to calm him.

“Yes,” Hinata sighed. “It was necessary to let Kiba know my plans, so he doesn’t interfere at the wrong time,” She bowed her head. 

“I thought Sasuke was the disobedient one,” Naruto growled. “Now I find out you’ve been hiding your own well of secrets.” 

“Who doesn’t have secrets, sir?” Hinata asked, and then parted her lips to welcome his possessive tongue taking her mouth. She shuddered, remaining completely soft in his arms. Naruto tipped her head to the side and was sniffing her aggressively. If she had let Kiba lay even a finger on her, it would become known. Naruto growled softly, and Hinata cried out in surprise as her alpha bit down on her milky throat.

The alpha’s incisors showed themselves as faintly red when he licked the renewal of their mark. Hinata mewled and shuddered in his arms, and the scent of her pleasure spiked in the air. “Secrets are fine, I guess, but I’d hate it if it slipped your mind who you belong to.” Like Hinata, Sasuke was quivering. Laying against Naruto throughout all these dominating vibrations and shifts in scent, the omega in him was going through so much. The skin over his mark felt hot and tight. He was desperate to have his mark renewed too.

“Never sir,” Hinata breathed. She moaned softly, her body slowly collapsing against Sasuke’s as their alpha kept cleaning her mark. She met Sasuke with a hazy look. “Right, Sasuke?” He watched her expression flood with ecstasy as their alpha bit down again. When he released her, she was panting softly and shaking, her hands pulling desperately at Naruto’s robe.

“It couldn’t happen,” he swore. He tipped his head to the side, showing his throat. “But just in case, if you would-” He gasped, as Naruto fisted Sasuke’s hair and drew the omega up near his fangs. Sasuke’s mate didn’t need to be asked twice to reaffirm their bite, his teeth fitting naturally into the imprints that marked Sasuke’s as his. Sasuke knelt trembling, his head tilted to the side, still as he waited for his alpha’s teeth to break his skin. It felt sharp, and the first moments stung harshly, but it quickly melted into warm liquid pleasure that radiated outward from his mark. Sasuke mewled, melting into Naruto’s chest the way Hinata had.

It had gone from stifling, to soothing, to necessary, probably beginning when Sasuke had decided to let Naruto remark him after Orochimaru violated their bond and culminated in their first proper knotting. His alpha’s tongue cleaned the mark, swiping away any blood that might have welled up to the surface. Naruto had sharper teeth than most alphas, and he was stronger.

His mark from Naruto healed into a smooth, silvery scar, his skin taking to it well, while Orochimaru's mark had become feverish with infection. After Naruto had bled it, it had healed and eventually faded into oblivion. Sasuke thanked his body for deciding to reject the snake’s mark entirely. He’d been worried before that he would be marred with two scars, his weakness ever visible on his skin.

“We should go to bed early,” Hinata suggested, flirtatiously. “Since we probably will want some time together before sleep?”

“I agree,” Naruto chimed in. He stood, and both omega clustered against him, their renewed marks making them eager for closeness. The alpha hauled both of them over his shoulders to carry them inside. Hinata shrieked with surprise and happiness as she was lifted off her feet. Sasuke affected annoyance, but honestly, the display of strength was exciting to him too.

Sasuke wanted to see Naruto fight in a real battle, and he wanted to be able to stand and fight by his alpha’s side when it happened. It wasn’t that he wasn’t hoping that things went badly at the Hyuuga household, but if they did… Sasuke planned to be ready.

XXX

They approached the Hyuuga clan lands and paused for a moment in town to control themselves and claim their characters. Collectively, they took a deep breath. The rearranged from the way they’d been walking before, in a loose cluster, with Naruto fondly touching his two omega’s in some way the whole time. Instead of that comfortable arrangement, they switched to the strict formal walking pattern they’d agreed upon earlier. 

It implied by closeness, Naruto’s status as an alpha, and Sasuke’s position just behind and right as first. Hinata nearly trailed after, though the group naturally felt the pressure for her to lead. They would have to ignore all their instincts to succeed in their mission. Naruto knew this, but he also knew it was going to put him in a terrible mood. They crossed the rest of the town, stopping when they reached the high stone wall entrance that marked the Hyuuga compound.

“Welcome,” A young Hyuuga alpha greeted, bowing to Naruto. He gave a shallower bow to Sasuke and bypassed greeting Hinata entirely. “I will show you your rooms, and once you’ve put your things down and prepared, you can come to meet the master properly.”

“Can’t I-” Hinata asked, hesitating in the hallway as Naruto and then Sasuke entered the offered rooms. 

“Hinata, come,” Sasuke snapped. Naruto would have hesitated, his instinct being to wait for his omegas to catch up with him in this strange space, but Sasuke surreptitiously pushed him so he wouldn’t fall behind.

“Yes, sir,” she squeaked, hurrying over and falling into step beside Sasuke, her head bowed demurely. Naruto’s senses picked up the Hyuuga alpha’s derisive scoff. His dislike of Hinata was obvious. Naruto didn’t like anyone treating his princess like she was a failure, and he had to force himself to ignore the slight instead of exiting the room and acting violently. Naruto had to let other people’s mistreatment of Hinata slide, to a point, if their characters were going to hold up.

Normally Sasuke would also help set up the room unless he was hurt or tired, but as per the instructions Hinata had given him before, he just sat and watched Hinata do everything herself. “Are you ready?” Asked a voice from the other side of the screen. Sasuke opened it and nodded. “If you would follow me.” 

They followed the young alpha across the property into a larger open hall. There were three cushions that they were meant to sit on. Naruto took the front and center spot. The head of the Hyuuga clan came and sat on the cushion across from him. A small table was brought out and placed between them. Sasuke took the spot on Naruto’s right and unnecessarily gestured for Hinata to sit on his other side.

“A pleasure to meet a young alpha of your battle capabilities,” he greeted, bowing slightly to Naruto. The way one would to a near, but not quite, equal. Naruto effected a deeper bow, then straightened.

“Thank you.” Naruto lied through his teeth: “Pleasure to meet a clan head of your distinguished stature.” Earlier, Naruto had made it clear how he felt about Hiashi or anyone who mistreated their omega. Now, he swallowed all these words. 

“It’s a pity we couldn’t originally meet under more formal circumstances,” Hiashi sighed. “I can’t understand why you and my daughter weren’t matched.”

“I wasn’t able to secure a spot with the matchmaker,” Naruto admitted. “Due to some family history.”

“That alpha…” Hiashi mused as if he hadn’t steered the conversation right there.

“My sire, yes,” Naruto sighed. That red-haired demoness. “I’d prefer not to speak of her-”

“You’ve handled your quest for your wives much more elegantly,” Hiashi interrupted.

“Is that true?” Naruto asked, surprised that Hiashi would say so after Naruto could have been said to have stolen his daughter. He obviously didn’t realize that Sasuke had been mated in the woods and then carried home over the alpha’s shoulder. More elegantly. He knew Kushina had killed to get her mate, but were they really eager to set the bar for elegance that low?

“By my measure,” the Hyuuga clan head decided. “It’s not as if she could have taught you any manners.”

“My alpha recently gave her a lesson in propriety,” Sasuke commented. Naruto just knew Sasuke was annoyed, even if he wasn’t showing it. Tiny shifts in his scent from his electrical energy made clear enough that he was frustrated.

Hiashi’s eyes widened with understanding. “Is that so?” He seemed to have been taken entirely off guard, and looking back, he could see in his mate’s eyes that Sasuke hid a pleased smirk behind his sleeve after managing to throw Hiashi off guard. Sasuke did a small twirl with his finger that reminded Naruto to turn around. Right. He had to act like they were behaving behind him no matter what. When Hiashi recovered, he asked: “Does that mean you’ll be taking over as clan head?”

“It’s been under consideration,” Naruto admitted, which he knew was news to even Sasuke and Hinata. He hadn’t informed him of that particular Uzumaki tradition. “I’ve yet to go back after the recent conflict when I surpassed her.”

“I encourage you to claim your title,” the Hyuuga head urged.

“Sir,” Naruto replied, without answering. It promised nothing. 

Hiashi turned to Sasuke. “And you, his first.” It was only due to his affection for Hinata and his desire to rescue Neji that Naruto didn’t scowl as he saw the older Alpha’s eyes drag over every inch of his omega. He knew his scent would speak for itself, spiking in a possessive warning.

“Yes?” Sasuke demurred as much as possible, as he’d been instructed to seem at least a little bit pleased to meet Hiashi. The best he could manage was neutral.

“I can’t imagine what brokering a bond with a clan like the Uchiha was like,” Hiashi pressed. He wanted more information.

Sasuke’s expression was bland, bordering on bored. “Nothing else my parents showed me was good enough.”

“I spent a lot of time negotiating with them,” Naruto told him, taking the attention off Sasuke. He knew his omega would begin to spark under it soon. “I had to prove my strength against two other alphas.”

“So both of your omega are rebellious,” Hiashi commented.

“They’re in line now,” Naruto corrected. He put his hand out, and Sasuke laid his cheek into it, docile and affectionate, but only for Naruto. “You just needed a firm hand, no?” He asked without turning.

He could hear the amusement in Sasuke’s voice and scent the dying down of his agitation. “Perhaps,” he admitted, letting out a small subsonic purr that Naruto felt in his palm rather than heard. Sasuke’s secret gestures were really precious. No one but the two of them would notice Sasuke was doing any more than humoring him.

“That certainly seems so,” Hiashi decided, though he understood nothing. “I’ve nearly never seen such a fine omega.” Well, maybe he understood one thing.

“I thank you,” Sasuke accepted graciously. He straightened, and Naruto placed his hands back in his lap. “Second. Your master is becoming impatient,” Sasuke drawled. “The tea.”

“Yes, my first,” Hinata chirped, jumping into action. Hinata served them all tea and then retook her place behind him, holding a small cup in her hands for her own enjoyment.

After a while more of chatting and pretending Hiashi wasn't being rude because he had to, Naruto decided they’d been doing this long enough. He bowed to Hiashi. “It’s been nice speaking with you. I think I’m going to take a tour of your land if that’s all right?”

Hiashi nodded. “Surely.” Naruto stood, and he heard his omega’s do the same. “A moment, daughter,” he heard Hiashi call. Hinata stayed behind, and he had to leave her. 

“I need to-,” he heard her fret.

“A moment,” the harsh tone of the alpha's voice made Hinata’s scent spike. Or she was acting as if it did. “How has this elopement of yours been working out for you?” He asked. Naruto and Sasuke kept walking, but his hearing was good enough that they could leave the building and stand in the yard. Naruto was still able to listen in. 

“I am happy, father,” Hinata told him, making it sound like a lie. Naruto felt, and sincerely hoped, that she truly was happy with him, but their act necessitated it to seem like the home Naruto gave her was not what she had desired. That she regretted bonding him.

“Is that so?” Hiashi asked. “It looks as though you’re being used a little roughly by those two lovers.” Remembering that they probably shouldn’t just stand there and look like they were trying to eavesdrop, Naruto pulled Sasuke against him to make it look like they’d gone outside to fool around or something like that. Sasuke gave him a bemused look. He couldn’t hear anything, so to him, it might seem that way. “I’m sure it isn’t what you imagined. If you had let me pick your mate, I would have made sure you were first.” 

Naruto stroked Sasuke’s lower back and felt him purr softly. He pushed his head under Naruto’s chin, rubbing against him like a cat. Since being knotted, Sasuke was very affectionate. He still had limits and was easy to annoy, but unlike before, Naruto could hold him close without worrying about being shocked stupid at a moment’s notice. “Ah, but those are the risks with prime alphas. Good marriages are not made overnight.” Naruto bared his teeth, hating Hiashi’s smug voice and the way he was talking to his mate.

“I know,” Hinata murmured sadly. Naruto could see her in his mind's eye, acting small and downtrodden.

“You’re lucky the alpha can be of use to us, or we’d never take you back after something like this.” Sasuke inspected Naruto’s mood, his brows drawing together and his eyes widened as he understood. He tapped his ear silently, and Naruto nodded. He could hear them. Sasuke nodded and tucked himself back against Naruto’s chest, comforted that the agitation wasn’t against him. “To that end, you need to make sure you stop dawdling around and get with child, even if it's probably too late to beat that Uchiha witch to delivery.” He hugged Sasuke closer, hearing that. He would be cautious before leaving Sasuke on his own around here if that was how they felt. “Can you imagine if your mother knew you’d been married this long and not-”

“I understand,” Hinata sighed.

“Is your alpha impotent-” 

“Of course not, father,” Hinata interrupted, taking an insulted tone for the first time. Her next words were softer, apologetic. “I’ve been stressed. keeping up with his affections is a strain on my body.” Naruto winced. “I know with my next heat that I’ll manage it.”

“I hope so, for your sake,” Hiashi hissed.

Naruto squeezed Sasuke’s hand and jerked his head. She’d been through enough. Sasuke nodded and stalked back into the building. “Hinata!” He shouted, as if impatient.

“Yes,” Hinata answered apologetically, her footsteps tripping towards the door.”

“I wish to go on a walk. Carry the shade for me,” Sasuke drawled, entering the building, Naruto saw Sasuke pulling Hinata by the shoulder of her robe, and Hiashi watching this interaction with vile amusement. He was pleased that the omega who’d disobeyed him looked like she was suffering.

“Of course,” Hinata demurred, taking the shade that was thrust into her hands. She stepped out of the building, and her expression changed: she became relieved and grateful. She held the shade over Sasuke and led them by way of the moving shade to another part of the property. Naruto had to follow her while walking in front of her, without seeming like it.

“What a bastard,” Sasuke hissed as soon as they seemed to be out of earshot. He put an arm around her waist and took the shade.

“It’s okay,” Hinata sighed. “Don’t love me too much, okay?”

“You’re just holding it wrong,” Sasuke snapped playfully. “And your alpha will be annoyed if you get red from the sun.”

“Of course,” Hinata giggled. “That was pretty good for a first part, right?” she asked. Naruto shrugged. Hinata would have to be the one who decided if what they were doing was working.

“We can talk normally out here?” Sasuke confirmed.

Hinata nodded. “Yes. This is where I used to hide and plan my escape.” Even so, she took a cautious look around the property with her eyes activated before releasing them. “They didn’t find out, or they would have stopped me.”

“And Neji?” Naruto asked.

“Would never tell,” Hinata replied, looking slightly scandalized that Naruto would even suggest it. “Thanks, you two,” Hinata sighed when they both enfolded her into their arms. Naruto kissed her. “Mmm,” she moaned softly, pushing up on her toes to kiss him more soundly. “I know you didn’t mean it.”

“It feels bad,” he complained. “I don’t like it.”

“I know,” she soothed, nuzzling him. “But Sasuke’s having a good time?” She teased, elbowing the other omega gently.

“It’s hollow for me too,” Sasuke sighed. “I don’t really hate you anymore.” Hinata laughed softly. “Let us make it up to you tonight in our room, or Naruto will slip.” Naruto nodded. That would be good. They could comfort her, and that would make the days easier.

“No,” Hinata decided, shaking her head. She looked at them, a small devious smile playing across her mouth. “Later tonight- I want you to push me around like I’m really some runaway.” 

“You’re so silly,” Naruto laughed, a bit uncomfortable with the idea. He’d hurt them enough by accident. He didn’t know if he could do it on purpose.

“I’m not joking,” Hinata told him, her voice going serious. “What if they check on us, with their eyes.” She tapped her cheekbone to signify her Byakugan. “And, it wouldn’t hurt to have authentic marks.”

“I’m not sure I can do that, Hinata,” Naruto complained, sighing, but reluctantly he supposed she’d end up getting what she wanted. He’d have to really check his strength or let Sasuke be the one to do it. 

They were about to walk back when a small shape, clad in cream-colored robes, came flying over the meadow towards them. It flew right into Hinata’s arms, and the omega twirled around with it, laughing happily.

“Hanabi!” Hinata exclaimed, kissing the adolescent all over her face. Naruto’s nose twitched as he scented the young alpha. She wasn’t a threat to Naruto, but an unknown alpha touching his omega did put him at attention. “My dear sister,” Hinata praised, stroking her hair back. She leaned closer and sniffed curiously, then her face lit up with joy. “You’ve presented!”

Naruto relaxed, smiling; it was only his mate’s newly presented sibling. It was a reason to be happy, and there shouldn’t be any conflict.

“Yes,” Hanabi confirmed. “I’m an alpha.” She puffed out her chest proudly and stood as tall as she could, but she still had some growing left to do. Naruto hadn’t known anything about Hinata’s family, but interestingly enough. Sasuke and the child traded a familiar nod upon seeing each-other. “Nice to meet you. Are you my sister’s alpha?” She asked, turning to him. She stuck out her hand. “I’m Hyuuga Hanabi.”

“Yeah,” Naruto replied, taking her smaller hand into his own. “Uzumaki Naruto.” Her size belied her power. Her grip was fierce. Naruto was actually impressed with the strength in her fingers. They bowed slightly to each other, hands clasped, and though Naruto wasn’t well versed on the Hyuuga in any personal sense, he had a strange feeling that the girl had just made them allies.

Hinata smiled proudly as Hanabi tucked herself back into her arms, her head on her older sister’s shoulder. Naruto realized that by coming to him, Hinata had permanently separated herself from her sister, and that had probably been their first separation in their lives.

“Is father finding you a mate soon?” Hinata asked, stroking her sister’s silky hair.

“Yeah. Soon,” Hanabi replied, perking up and looking excited. “There’s this omega called Moegi in town. She’s really pretty, and we used to play together before we presented.”

“I wish you the best,” Hinata promised gently. She tipped Hanabi’s chin up with her finger and took on a slightly lecturing tone so her words would stick. “Remember you have to treat her kindly no matter what.”

“That’s not what father says,” Hanabi mumbled, looking down and away.

“You have to make your own decisions,” Hinata scolded. “Understand?”

Hanabi fidgeted, all at once becoming a little sister instead of an alpha. Naruto was internally amused until he remembered Hinata lecturing him just like that. “But what if he gets mad at me?” Hanabi fretted. “I told him to take you back, and he got so angry,” Hanabi was working herself up, her face becoming pink and frustrated. “And since mom-”

“There, there,” Hinata soothed, cutting the girl off by putting a finger over her lips. “Maybe you’ll have to hide your kindness, but that doesn’t mean it's not worth doing.” Hanabi nodded, still silent. Naruto knew then that Hinata’s children would exceptionally calm and well behaved, as she was gentle but firm. “Eventually, you will be the alpha who decides what happens in the Hyuuga clan, right?”

Hanabi nodded slowly, realization dawning on her face, along with quiet resolve. “Then I can protect everyone,” Hanabi decided. “And you can come back all the time.”

“Just so,” Hinata praised. She put out her hand, and Hanabi took it, and additionally pressed her body to her older sister’s side, trying to make up for lost time and closeness. “Let’s walk back so that father doesn’t find out, okay?”

Sure enough, when they got near the house, they found Hiashi outside, no doubt looking for Hanabi.

“What nonsense were you pouring in my heir’s head?” He asked, watching with approval as Hanabi returned to standing formally and stiffly at his side.

“Hinata was just telling me she missed me,” Hanabi replied, bowing slightly to her father. “And I told her I’m an alpha now, so she congratulated me.”

“That’s all?” He asked suspiciously, eying them all down.

“I wasn’t listening,” Sasuke drawled, inspecting his nails. Naruto nodded once. Hiashi seemed to accept that, but his eyes were still cold when he looked at Hinata.

“Yes, father, that was all,” Hanabi confirmed, straightening up so he’d consider her.

“Good,” he decided. He turned to leave. “Come, Hanabi. Your training continues.” Hanabi nodded and hurried after him. Only Naruto’s hearing allowed him to clearly understand what Hiashi said next. “You’ll be needed in the ranks soon.”

“Yes, father.”

“Let's leave,” Sasuke sighed, clearly at the end of his tolerance for Hiashi’s behavior. Naruto knew Sasuke’s agitation was real and put a soothing hand on the small of his back. Sasuke curled in against him, purring silently.

“She’s a good kid, you know?” Hinata murmured quietly to prevent being overheard. “When we were little, she said she’d be my alpha and protect me.” She laughed fondly. “That couldn’t happen for what I think are obvious reasons, and if you asked her about it, I’m sure she’d cry of embarrassment.” 

Naruto snorted. Lots of kids had that phase. Obviously, Hanabi had to grow out of it, but it showed how precious Hinata was to her and how she felt about how omega were treated. She hadn’t wanted to let any other alpha possess her sister, knowing it would be dangerous for her. “I’m proud of her understanding. Her omega will be treated well.”

Naruto smiled, even as guilt worked through him. “Right.” He’d learned something as well: He had to make sure nothing happened to Hinata, or he’d be betraying Hanabi as well.

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. They went to dinner and learned about the rituals to take place the next day, and afterward were dismissed to their rooms.

When they were in private, Sasuke showed that he was peaked, so Naruto held his palm out. “Come here,” Sasuke sighed, but came over and let Naruto collect the omega into his lap. “Can’t you calm down?” He asked, undoing the Uchiha’s waist tie and kissing the exposed pale skin of his chest. 

“No,” Sasuke replied flatly. Naruto bit into his nipple, and the omega shuddered, going partially slack against Naruto’s side. The alpha reached under his mate and positioned that slick, inviting opening over himself. He teased first, nudging his mate’s tight opening lightly. “Especially not if you do that.”

“Sure you can,” Naruto promised. Sasuke choked on a cry, his body twisting from the sudden sensation as Naruto filled him. The alpha himself had to rest his forehead against his mate’s shoulder-blades and breathe. His omega’s tightness was contracting hard around him. “How’s that?” he panted.

“It’s not calming,” Sasuke replied breathlessly, leaning his back against Naruto’s chest and letting the alpha thrust up from underneath him. He felt Sasuke become slicker and more open until his knot popped in on his next harder thrust. “There!” Sasuke agreed, his nails digging into Naruto’s thighs, and his whole body rolling with pleasure. He shuddered hard and then took a deep breath, melting into the alpha. “Thank you,” Sasuke breathed, stroking himself slowly as Naruto allowed himself to tie, and began releasing into him.

“Look how polite he is, getting to come after a long day,” Naruto teased, pushing Sasuke’s damp hair out of his face. The omega’s intoxicating scent shifted when he came, becoming richer somehow. He really liked it and wanted to inhale deeply, filling his lungs with that intoxicating air. 

“Shut up,” Sasuke snapped, pushing at Naruto’s face with the flat of his palm. He moved out of the way of it and nipped Sasuke’s mark where the delicious scent was concentrated, the omega’s eyes went soft and unfocused, and half a mewl escaped his lips before he silenced it. “Asshole,” the omega breathed, shivering as Naruto kept teasing the omega’s mark with his tongue and teeth. If Naruto did that, Sasuke stayed mostly still in Naruto’s lap, purring and whimpering while the alpha breathed in as much of the omega’s scent as he could before his knot released.

When he lifted Sasuke off of him, their bodies were connected by multiple thick strands of cum. He spread his mate’s thighs and shuddered to watch his seed drip from his bitch’s swollen slit. Sasuke shivered and threw Naruto a pleasured and overwhelmed look over his pale shoulder. He loved seeing Sasuke like this. He loved seeing his release drip out of his mate’s quivering body.

Sasuke got fed up and pulled away, going to the other side of the room to clean himself and then curl up in the bed. The day was over for him, and after coming, he had a window to fall asleep in that Naruto knew he wouldn’t want to waste. His omega’s habits were becoming more visible to him. Naruto felt fondness and pleasure watching his omega get ready for bed, moving around the room on wobbly legs. He wanted to see his other mate that way too. “Now you,” he told Hinata, making her sit on his cum-slicked cock.

She arched, the pretty peachy flesh on her back rolling up as he thrust into her. Hinata moaned, pushing against him with more force. “Knot me- they should know you are.” They kept going till they knotted, and Hinata sighed in satisfaction. She worked her body around his knot, making him come hard. She panted, laying with him for a while, but then she spoke up. “You’ll have to leave a bruise.” Naruto thrust against her as much as he could while tied, hoping to distract her from that.

She moaned, but her eyes stayed disturbingly clear. She was really goal-oriented when she wanted to be. “You’re saying they can all hear us?” Naruto asked, pausing. He didn’t like that.

“No. They can scent it in the morning. My father especially,” Hinata replied, settling in his lap and twisting around to kiss him. “It will make him think you are a typical alpha, that he can manipulate.” He understood what kind of image she was trying to portray, but was it really so believable of him? “While he’s trying to do that, we will promote our own plans.” She didn’t seem to be thinking of that. She was focused on Neji, as she should be. But that meant no one was there was for Naruto, and he was sure that if he brought it up to his first, the omega would just tell him to shut up. 

So no one had time to help him through these feelings, and… probably the only reason he was feeling them was that he knew he’d done wrong in the past. He’d been too rough with Sasuke when he first got him for sure. He squeezed Hinata to comfort himself, and she pressed more kisses to him. Right. He had to keep it together. “How will they scent how rough I’m being?” He asked.

“They’ll see it.” She put his hands on her wrists and squeezed. “Here.” It was obvious he was meant to bruise her there.

“But,” Naruto heard himself whine. All day he’d had to dismiss her. He was only getting to be tender with her now. He didn’t want to ruin it by having to harm her, even just a little bit. He was already unsettled enough by the day, honestly.

“Naruto, please,” Hinata sighed, her voice showing a bit of impatience. She squeezed down on his knot enticingly, and Naruto bit his lip, unable to stop worrying. “If you do it quickly, we’ll have time to be gentle,” she coaxed.

“Okay,” he agreed. He squeezed her lightly, but those marks faded in seconds. She shook her head. He’d never learned how to calibrate his strength so carefully. He started off gentle and then kept squeezing a little tighter until she yelped softly and twisted her wrists forward and away. She inspected the marks, holding her wrists up into the dim light. He could see each of his fingers imprinted in blood-red on her wrists. It would darken to maroon, and then purple. All the while, he was still knotted in her.

“Thank you, Naruto,” Hinata told him, flexing her wrists to work out the discomfort. “Do you want to sleep,” she asked, tenderly stroking his face from where she lay against him. “Sasuke’s already in dreamland, it seems.”

He shook his head and kissed her. “I want to stay with you a while longer.” 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Girl, they get away with it. 
> 
> Here's your filth.
> 
> (I don't have a beta, but Grammarly says it's okay?)
> 
> As always, let me know if you're vibing. Every time I get a comment, I add a page to the document.

Hinata raised her hand to brush back her hair, and as she did, her sleeve slipped down, showing the bruises on her arm. The omega’s younger sister gasped. Her disgusted gaze immediately found Naruto. “You’re awful!” Hanabi whispered, deep betrayal showing in the lines around her pale eyes. “I hate you,” she hissed vehemently.

“Hanabi-” Naruto began... but what could he say? Sasuke hoped he knew he surely couldn’t tell her the truth if Hinata hadn’t already. Naruto wasn’t one for artifice, but he had to know that he would simply have to shoulder Hanabi’s hatred until a later time. 

“Don’t talk to me.” She silenced him by slicing her arm through the air in front of her. “You’re the worst kind of alpha.”

“I’ll explain,” Hinata decided, moving to go after Hanabi.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Sasuke reminded her, snatching her wrist. What Hanabi thought of Naruto was unimportant to their mission. Surely, they must both understand that explaining to Hanabi would introduce a slew of unnecessary risks. Hinata could explain to her later, once they were out, and the danger was past.

“Ouch-” Hinata complained with a wince, and Sasuke released her instantly. He didn’t mean to hurt her, only to give the appearance of it. He would have apologized if he could, and he hoped the looks he was giving her were clear enough for her to understand. 

“Sasuke,” Naruto growled. “I don’t appreciate you handling my property.”

“But she’s rude,” Sasuke complained, folding his arms. He gave Naruto a significant look, trying to remind him of what their purpose was. “And lazy.” Surely Naruto didn’t like having betrayed Hanabi, but the goal was not to be her friend. There would be time for that later.

“And if I barely want to take her out like this?” Naruto asked, yanking Sasuke by his own wrist. “If I make you take her place?” Sasuke shivered as the low, threatening growling vibrated the air around the alpha. They were just acting, but Sasuke wanted to show his throat and have Naruto bite him there.

“She’s fine. She can still serve us!” Sasuke replied, pretending to be hurried and nervous. He didn’t have to quicken his breath or his heart. Those things were already happening… only for different reasons than an onlooker would assume.

“I’m okay, I can do it,” Hinata jumped in, smoothing over the feigned conflict. Naruto let Sasuke go, and he did the same to Hinata. “I was just worried about what she would eat if she didn’t have a meal with us.” She served them breakfast, and they ate. Once they were done, she cleaned up and then fidgeted a bit before asking. “Uhm, do you mind if I visit my cousin?” This was for show. Of course, they would allow her to see her cousin. They’d discussed this moment in detail. They had to seem reluctant but let her.

Naruto growled in feigned annoyance. “You’ll behave from now on?” Naruto asked. Hinata nodded, her hands clasped together in front of her chest in apology. “You can’t keep agitating my first like this.”

“I’m sorry,” Hinata apologized, bowing deeply to both of them. Naruto nodded and gestured with his hand that it was fine for her to visit him. She smiled as if this was one of the first times Naruto was kind to her. Like it was a pleasant surprise. “Please follow me,” she instructed, showing them the way. 

Sasuke held onto Naruto’s arm as they followed Hinata through the house. She gave them a slight gesture with her hand behind her back, and they stopped a ways behind her, feigning disinterest. In reality, Sasuke was burningly curious about Neji, and he expected no less from Naruto. He strained to listen, both of them barely breathing so the soft sounds of Hinata’s words would make it to them.

“Neji, are you awake?” Sasuke heard Hinata ask from the doorway.

“Yes,” a voice that must be the omega’s replied, and there was a sound of fabric. Sasuke imagined Neji sitting up in a small bed to greet his cousin. “Hard to sleep here.”

“I’m sorry,” Hinata apologized. It’s because of what I’ve done that they’re so strict with you.”

“Don’t worry,” Neji could be heard replying. “I was a fool to fight fate. This is my punishment.” The omega sounded truly exhausted, and Sasuke could identify with it.

“Don’t say that,” Hinata begged him. “I pray for you to find love every night.”

“With the alpha your father chooses,” Neji asked, his voice sharply sarcastic.

Hinata hummed softly before asking, “If it is your fate to be the wolf’s meal, why feed yourself to a dog?”

“Because dogs love people,” Neji replied, slight amusement coloring his tone. The dog must be Kiba, and Sasuke only nearly avoided laughing. “What are you implying?”

“A beast is a beast,” Hinata sighed softly. “An alpha is an alpha, in the end.”

“What’s your point?” Neji asked, more impatiently.

“I regret it,” Hinata whispered. “Escaping.”

“You do?” Neji asked, surprise coloring the question.

“Yes. I thought I’d be first, but I’m second, and my first is an Uchiha.” Sasuke couldn't help but roll his eyes at her theatrics. “My mate is so in love with him. It’s like I don’t exist.” Naruto could certainly hear if Sasuke could, and so he looked at Naruto and found the alpha grinning at him in amusement. There was a nervous tilt to his expression that worried Sasuke, though. 

Sasuke hated it when his alpha felt guilty. He was so whiny when he got into those moods. Sasuke kissed Naruto so no one could see the stupid face he was making if they happened to walk by. Maybe it would cheer him up a bit, too. “I want to come home, but as our bond is complete, I-” Hinata sobbed, breaking into tears. “I-”

“I’m sorry,” Neji was heard soothing. “Hinata-”

“You don’t have to say anything more. Just hold me,” she replied. There was the sound of rustling fabric as the two omega must have embraced each other. Sasuke thought he heard a paper being passed, but only because he knew Hinata would be doing so.

“I understand,” Neji whispered.

Just then, a branch Hyuuga alpha came down the hall, her eyes widening dramatically when she took sight of them. “What is the meaning of this?” She demanded, pointing at all of them.

“Hinata wanted to see her cousin,” Sasuke drawled easily. “We’re waiting here for her.”

“That omega is not allowed to have guests!” The alpha shouted, going red in the face.

“Not even another omega? We didn’t know.” Naruto replied, looking dumb and confused with astonishing accuracy. Sasuke smirked at him. 

“We beg your forgiveness,” Sasuke added, bowing to her. She seemed to process him for the first time and was instantly distracted by him. Sasuke resisted rolling his eyes because her shallowness was buying Hinata time, but it seemed like every time an alpha saw him, part of their mind fell asleep. “Usually, omega are allowed to meet freely. That’s why I waited here to keep my alpha company.” 

She seemed to believe that. Well, who wouldn’t? She shook her head to clear it. “Of course. But please clear the area,” she instructed them hurriedly. “That omega is delinquent. He will only corrupt your mates,” she told Naruto, pulling him slightly away from Sasuke to tell him that.

“Right,” Naruto agreed, then shouted, “Hinata!” 

“Yes, sir!” Hinata squeaked, appearing from the room and standing before him, her head bowed and contrite.

“Did you lie to me?” He growled at her.

“I-” She began, but Naruto snatched the sleeve and yanked her close. It exposed the bruises on her wrist well. Sasuke’s nose wanted to wrinkle up as the other alpha’s expression became approving, but he controlled it.

“Private punishment is more suitable to this,” Sasuke reminded his alpha, putting a hand on his chest and significantly moving his eyes to the Hyuuga alpha.

Naruto growled, low and threatening. “You’re right. Let’s take her into the woods, so no one has to hear her crying.”

“Ah!” Hinata cried convincingly as she was pulled to follow them out of the house. They walked to a small clearing far enough that no one would overhear. Naruto immediately began kissing Hinata’s wrists. The big baby. Hinata watched him gently and petted his cheek when he finally paused in kissing her.

“Did you give it to him?” Sasuke asked Hinata, eager to know if their maneuver had been a success.

“Yes,” she replied, flashing a smug expression for a moment. “Here-” she told Naruto, putting his hands onto her collarbones. “Squeeze hard enough to make a bruise.”

“Hinata-” their alpha complained. 

“I won’t move. It’ll be okay,” Hinata replied confidently. When Naruto didn’t squeeze, she reminded him, “You’re supposed to be punishing me right now. If I don’t have any marks when I come back or don’t seem hurt, they’ll know. These visible bruises won’t hurt as much as what we’d have to do to give me a limp or a convincing soreness.” Sasuke saw her body twitch when he started to squeeze, but she didn’t move.

“You’re crying,” Naruto told her, letting his hands fall from her. “Did I break something?” 

Hinata shook her head, but the tears kept falling. “I want to leave here. But I can’t go without Neji.” She put her sleeves to her eyes to absorb the tears. “When I imagine what he’s been through.” She wiped her face and then smacked her cheeks lightly, and other than her eyes being red-rimmed, she was composed. Her small breakdown was understandable, and she had small physical hurts to add to everything, whether or not she’d taken them willingly.

“I didn’t know,” Naruto sympathized. “Let's go back to the room,” he offered. Sasuke wanted to hiss. They couldn’t give up over the slightest things. Hinata had pulled herself together. That was already a sign she wanted to continue. Usually, he didn’t mind how sensitive his alpha was, but this would put them in a rather uncomfortable situation soon, and they could count themselves lucky that he hadn’t tipped off the Hyuuga already.

What Hinata did next only confirmed Sasuke’s thoughts. “Sasuke, my first, you do this.” Hinata sighed, stepping away from her alpha and towards him. “Our beloved alpha is not being very useful.” 

“Hey!” Naruto whined.

Hinata laughed softly, touching Naruto’s cheek to comfort him. “I’m sorry dear, but-” She bit her lip. “Maybe Sasuke has a better stomach for it.” She took Sasuke’s arm into her hand, running her fingers along the muscles he’d put on while training. “You’re quite strong lately. Slap me hard enough to bruise this part.” She gestured her cheekbone, where a mark would begin to appear if he struck her face.

Sasuke took her collar into his fist, and she went half limp into the motion. Sasuke took a deep breath, wound up his arm, and then let his hand crack across her face. She cried out, and if not for Sasuke holding her collar, would have gone down onto her knees.

Her eyes had teared up again, but she was smiling at Sasuke as he carefully pulled her back to her feet and let her rest her weight against him. He pushed his cheek against hers and felt how hot the skin there was. “Ouch,” she winced, probing it with her fingers. “Good job getting it in one. This will make a mark for sure.”

“Sorry,” Sasuke apologized, genuinely. He hadn’t wanted to slap her again, so maybe he’d struck her a bit harder than needed. “I only wish it didn’t hurt you.”

“Well,” Hinata brushed it off, straightening her clothes and hair. Sasuke was relieved that she didn’t even seem to consider it personal in the first place. “You two will be making it up to me when we get home, won't you?” She asked, smiling just as gently at him as she had at Naruto. Of that, there was no doubt. Both of them nodded seriously at her, Sasuke mentally promising her anything she wanted for at least a week.

“So the ceremony,” Sasuke reminded. Things needed to stay on the correct path, and if Naruto was going to be the way he was being, Hinata needed Sasuke’s support.

“Yes. That’s this evening,” she confirmed.

“What do we do?” Naruto asked.

“Naruto, you will do it normally,” she replied. “Everything just as Hiashi asks. Until Sasuke arrives.”

“Okay,” Naruto agreed, nodding. “Simple enough.” Hinata gave Sasuke a look that said there was a reason his task was simple, and Sasuke tried hard not to smile or snicker at his alpha’s expense. He felt his lips twitch into a smirk against his will, but Naruto just looked at him blankly. He hadn’t seen Hinata’s look, and he wouldn’t get it, so the omega just shook his head dismissively.

Then Hinata spoke, which helped Naruto forget. “Sasuke, since you’re not supposed to attend, you will go and disable the guard on Neji, of which there will only be one or two at most, as the ceremony demands most of the clan’s presence. Use a silent means- like a small amount of lightning.” Sasuke nodded. He had to practice sparking just his hands. Usually, he just felt it ripple along his whole body if he felt pressed enough. It made his fingers numb and prickly, but he managed to focus it and shrink it, and it only made a soft crackle instead of the loud static sound the usually surrounded him. “You have good control,” Hinata observed, nodding.

“Neji will help you tie them up and lock them in a room safely. I have supplies for you in the room.” She gestured to the meeting hall. “Wait there until the right moment, just at the end of the ceremony.” Her eyes glimmered with excitement about the next part. “Burst in in a rage about being excluded, or about me being official, and try to set some things on fire.”

“My clan didn’t accept our bonding, and I’m bitter about it,” Sasuke recited, feigning a swoon with his hand over his heart. Honestly, Sasuke couldn’t care less if they accepted his current choice of mate or not. He’d stopped caring when they’d tried to sell him. Hinata laughed. Sasuke smirked at her. “That’s sure to make your father happy,” he surmised.

Hinata nodded, hiding her laugh behind her hand, but her eyes were still sparkling with amusement. “Yes, he’ll think he can use us against the Uchiha because of their rejection.” And this would distract him from the fact that they were blatantly stealing from him until it was too late.

“Hinata-” Naruto murmured. “Sasuke’s fire is-” Sasuke felt his ego swell with pride as the alpha tried to explain that Sasuke’s fire was too powerful a weapon to use against the Hyuuga.

“It’s quite potent, so don’t overdo it. It’s also better for the future if fewer people are aware of the extent of your abilities.” Hinata nodded knowingly. “Just a little, before Naruto ‘stops’ you,” she reminded Sasuke. “No one should die or get badly hurt. Naruto, it's vital that while you stop him, you release lots of chakra into the air.” She added: “Both yours and your benefactor’s, and as much as you can.”

“Lots of chakra?” Naruto asked. “For what?”

Hinata waved her hand over her eyes. “To create a cloud to blind our Byakugan. It's not as specific as the Sharingan at a longer range, and its strengths at close range will actually benefit us.” She explained further. “They will be fascinated by the two of you since you both have such novel chakra, and thus will never notice Neji escaping.”

They both nodded. Hinata had thought this out. It hadn’t been a mistake to agree to help her. She wasn’t being reckless with their lives and knew their strengths well. “And then?”

“The last part is a little improvised,” she admitted, flushing and twirling a strand of hair. “I don’t know how my father will react, so please use your judgment.” She looked at Naruto. “You subdue Sasuke, and whatever the situation is, we are going to leave right after. Say you need to discipline us at home. Or say that you deeply regret it, but that Sasuke’s posing a danger to our honorable clan house, and you need to remove him.”

“I see,” Naruto replied, nodding seriously.

“Then we’ll meet Neji at the designated place that I wrote on the note,” Hinata finished.

“You’re scaring me, Hinata,” Naruto admitted with a laugh.

She smiled. “I never have before?” Naruto blinked at her, and she burst into giggles. “I’m playing, my love,” she promised, getting on her toes to rub her nose against his. “I just want my cousin freed.” She kissed him. “Can I rely on you?” Naruto nodded in response. His eyes were still half-lidded from her kiss. Sasuke was learning a lot from and about Hinata these days. Mostly about how to bend Naruto slowly, and with him usually not even noticing.

“It’s simple enough,” Sasuke decided. There was one thing that still concerned him, though. “What would happen if we failed?”

“They’d strip us down and beat us with sticks if they found out,” Hinata decided, making an apologetic expression. Sasuke nearly flinched to think of it, but Hinata didn’t even seem that worried. “Probably turn us out into the woods at night.” She waved her hand, dismissively. “We’d be just fine.” But then her expression went from sheepish but generally serene to concerned. “The only thing to be truly worried about is that Neji would never get another chance to escape. Father would bond him, either to any random alpha the clan or more likely himself, to end the situation.” She frowned. “Which I’m not sure isn’t already the plan.”

“Isn’t Neji your cousin?” Naruto asked, wrinkling his nose.

“Yes,” Hinata replied simply. “But mine and Hanabi’s mother passed, and he’s waited the appropriate amount of time to claim a new bride.”

Naruto’s face wrinkled up more. “In my clan, you shouldn’t breed with a relative if there are other people around. It’s not exactly remote, here.”

“It happens a bit in the Hyuuga clan,” Hinata replied, shrugging. “I’m sure it's not entirely out of the question for the Uchiha either.”

“It’s happened,” Sasuke added. “We don’t often mix with other clans.”

“Didn’t your whole family watch me fuck you?" Naruto asked. That didn’t need an answer. Not really. Nor did it have anything, in particular, to do with the topic being discussed.

“… I assume what you and Kushina have can’t be diluted by outside blood,” Sasuke replied instead. 

Naruto shook his head. “The child just wouldn’t be born, and once we are, our bodies are changed after birth by the contract.” So the contract modified their blood. That was probably why they were so strong. A known power that could be maintained and passed down unaffected by the birth-status of the mother. “Just get a stronger omega and try again. Obviously, not that carelessly, though.” 

Sasuke supposed they had to be selective with their mates, but theoretically, any one of adequate strength would do. It eliminated a lot of thought from the process. Other clans had to worry about which lineages canceled their own out. That was lucky because despite whatever virtues he boasted, the Uzumaki boy didn’t seem that quick. “Ah, I get it now,” Naruto finally realized, more than proving Sasuke’s point. “Well, I’m not really complaining cause however you got put in front of me is great, I think.”

“Idiot,” Sasuke sighed. That settled, he turned back to his second and told her. “We can do it, Hinata.”

“I believe in us,” she agreed, smiling. “For Neji,” she affirmed, making a fist as she gathered her confidence. “Now, let's go inside and get ready,” she told Sasuke, taking his arm. “And you need to start drinking.”

“Huh?”

“I want you to appear as a drunken mess,” Hinata replied simply. They entered earshot of the building then, and they all fell silent. They hurried into their room, and Hinata and Sasuke both used their eyes to check if anyone was nearby.

Then Hinata dug in the things she’d brought and produced an outfit for him to put on, and a ceramic vessel of liquor- the kind one might buy in the village below. “What an image of me,” Sasuke lamented.

Hinata laughed, covering her mouth with her sleeve. “You’re complaining about that now?”

“No. But I don’t like the smell so much that I want to wear it,” Sasuke lamented, watching her spill liquor onto the clothes she wanted him to wear. It was black and red, making it easy to see him as powerful, dangerous. She’d managed to find an Uchiha crest somewhere and sow it on. He’d probably enjoy wearing this once it had been washed. 

“Whiny,” Hinata teased lightly, handing him the two-thirds full bottle. She seemed to check everything over and then sat down on the bed, tipping backward to spread out on her back. She sighed deeply. “I want a rest,” she decided, curling up on the mat. “Will you wake me up nearing sunset?”

“Yes,” Sasuke promised. She rolled over the face the other way and seemed to go to sleep right away. “Are you nervous?” He asked his alpha, going to kneel beside him. Sasuke felt Naruto’s hand curve comfortingly around his waist as the alpha got closer to him. Sasuke turned his body inwards, sliding closer to his mate.

“I was going to ask you,” Naruto replied. “I feel like you got the hardest job.” They were whispering, and Hinata's breaths were evening out as she began to sleep. When she began snoring softly, Sasuke put his hand on the alpha’s shoulder and pressed their bodies together.

“I’ll comfort you,” Sasuke offered, kissing the alpha.

“I’m comforting you,” Naruto replied, his offended growl rumbling against Sasuke’s chest as they cuddled up. Naruto’s hands moved under Sasuke’s ass to lift the omega into his lap.

“Stupid,” Sasuke hissed, nuzzling his mate. He pushed his fingers through Naruto’s thick, yellow hair and kissed him again.

“Bitch,” Naruto mumbled back, already more invested in kissing him than arguing. “Mm,” he moaned softly, hugging Sasuke against him. They were both being petty, but Sasuke was pleased that they could still kiss while it was happening.

Sasuke was nervous. Not so much for himself, but for the plan to go well. This was a chance to prove himself. As punishment, should things go wrong, loomed the threat of ruining things for Neji, an innocent omega. The touch of his alpha was comforting and gave him a feeling of stability. He rested his forehead against his mate’s, and they stayed that way until the light of day faded and began to turn yellow and orange.

Then he put on the alcohol-soaked robes and woke Hinata. “Hinata. Get up,” he reminded her, shaking her shoulder gently. “I’m dressed.”

“Ah, thank you,” the younger omega replied, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She painted his face and then smeared it around his eyes using water like he’d been crying. Then she loosened his clothes, pulling him this way and that like he’d been stumbling around and getting caught on things. “Ruffle your hair.” Sasuke put his hands through his hair haphazardly and shook himself.

“Well?” He asked, looking up at both of him. Hinata looked cunningly pleased.

“It’s sort of sexy,” Naruto admitted, biting his lip.

“Shut up,” Sasuke sighed, rolling his eyes. “You want me to be disheveled and drunk?”

“If you do your makeup and wear your robes like that, you can be whatever you want,” Naruto decided with a shrug. Sasuke gave Naruto an unimpressed look, and Naruto shivered visibly. “Don’t look at me like that. It's too exciting.” Sasuke made a sound of disbelief. Was his alpha such a fool? “I’m just a man, you know?” 

“We know,” Sasuke sighed.

“Anyone would be helpless to an omega like you, Sasuke,” Hinata teased. “Naruto’s just easily affected by you in different looks.” She was ready, too. She’d had Sasuke make her a bruise earlier, and it had developed into a proud plum-colored mark. Then she’d endeavored to cover it with makeup. “I left you some dinner since we’ll be eating there,” the younger omega told Sasuke, handing him a cloth tied into a bundle. He assumed there was a meal inside. She kissed him, and Sasuke stood there for a few moments blinking while she told him very seriously, “I’m counting on you.”

“Yes,” he accepted. They left, and he sat down for his dinner. He took a few sips while eating, feeling the burn of the alcohol rush through his body. Had Hinata purposely not left him water, or was he just not seeing it? He was a little tipsy by the time he’d finished his meal, but maybe that was okay. Maybe that was meant to be. After eating, he took the bottle of liquor and made his way across the house.

“Are you lost?” One of the alpha’s asked, roughly grabbing Sasuke’s shoulder. It was a disturbing breach of propriety, but no one would be counting on him to remember it. “You’re not allowed to be here.” He wasn’t nearly as drunk as he looked, so the other alpha putting a hand directly on his lower back didn’t go unnoticed at all.

“He’s drunk,” said the other. They looked like twins to Sasuke, but honestly, any two Hyuuga males of the same age could pass as brothers to Sasuke. 

“So uncouth, to get drunk while your alpha is performing a ritual,” the one holding his shoulder scolded him. Sasuke made sure to roll with the motion like he was having trouble holding himself up. Being a little tipsy helped, but he wasn’t drunk enough that he didn’t have to act it out some. “The least you can do is sit fine and wait for him to come back.”

“What do you think will come of him straying around like this?” The hand on his lower back was sliding downward until the Hyuuga alpha was feeling on his ass through his clothes. Sasuke tried to pull away, but they held him tight and seemed intent on keeping him where he was.

“Maybe something that will benefit us.” Sasuke had had enough, and now they both had a hand on his bare skin. He hoped the alpha who’d dared touch his bare leg would be feeling it till the next day. He concentrated his energy there as he let loose his lightning.

They both jerked violently as the sparks ravaged their bodies. He’d used a bit much, but they’d deserved it. “Animals,” Sasuke spat, straightening. He bound them with ropes and pushed open the door that Hinata had gone into earlier that day.

“Nice disguise,” greeted the omega kneeling inside. He was slender and pretty, with a pale, aristocratic face, white eyes like Hinata’s, and long silky brown hair. He had some texts in front of him that he seemed to have been reading to pass the time. He pushed them aside when he saw Sasuke and folded his arms. “You are?”

“Uchiha Sasuke,” he replied, bowing slightly.

“A fellow runaway,” he surmised, pushing himself to stand. Sasuke shrugged, and the other omega smirked. He helped Sasuke push the two unconscious alphas into a room and close the door. The other omega pushed the bolt into place with vicious satisfaction in his pale eyes. He put his back against the door. “Unlike others, I have a functional set of critical thinking skills.” He plucked at Sasuke’s wine-soaked outer robe. “I know what this disguise will tell them. I’m sure everyone will enjoy the big reveal.”

“The drama is half of the fun,” Sasuke replied, smirking. He… thought he liked this omega. It was too soon to tell. But the dry sarcasm and general demeanor of the other omega suited him. 

“Give me some,” Neji requested, touching the bottom of the ceramic vessel, so Sasuke felt a slight lift. “We have some time to kill.” Sasuke passed him the vessel and watched him take a swig. “You should show up somewhat more drunk-” Neji advised him, passing it back. “The Byakugan can tell.”

“They didn’t use it on me before,” Sasuke shrugged. But he also hadn’t attacked. They hadn’t thought they’d need their eyes to deal with a drunk omega. When he did set something on fire later, they’d surely turn their eyes onto him with full force. “but how did you-”

“I know Hinata well,” Neji murmured. “And we’ve made plans before.” He stared straight ahead as he added, “I’m hoping this one works out better for me.”

“Ideally,” Sasuke agreed. It wouldn’t be great for anyone if their plans failed. They drank in silence, Sasuke committing to his role. He realized they’d be suspicious if the bottle seemed too full, so he was grateful for Neji helping him reduce the contents without needing to imbibe it all himself.

“What’s it like being bonded?” Neji asked suddenly, tracing his finger around the neck of the bottle. There was a slight flush to his cheeks that told Sasuke that it was at least partially the alcohol talking.

Sasuke also knows it is at least partially the alcohol that makes him answer honestly. “It feels tight,” he replied, touching his chest and remembering the sensation of a bond closing around him. “Like wearing a very secure robe with lots of ties and sashes.”

“But in a good way?” Neji pressed, his white eyes glittering like pale quartz with interest.

“Yes,” Sasuke sighed, feeling flush. “And your alpha is prime; that’s something to be pleased about.” Neji probably wouldn’t regret his choice, at least not over matters of strength and status.

“That alpha of yours- he can be scented across the house. Mine does not have such a powerful scent.” 

“Naruto is unique,” Sasuke admitted. “He is prime, and he is more.”

“You love him.” It was not a question.

But Sasuke still answered it like one. “Maybe.”

“Just say yes,” Neji snipped, taking another deep swig. Sasuke took the bottle from Neji after that, worried he’d probably get lost trying to find the meeting point. He was already speaking to someone he’d just met rather freely. “He’s an idiot, but you love him. I feel the same about my Kiba.”

“What ruined your escape?” Sasuke asked, desiring a change in subject.

“We had been children, and known we would-be mates,” Neji told him, his expression annoyed about the liquor, but he huffed slightly and settled against the wall to tell his story. “He presented, and so did I, within a few days of each other. As if my presentation was a response to his-“ Neji bit his lip and spread his hand out over his chest. “As if it was for him.” Then the omega frowned, shaking his head. “When I told my elders of this, they kept me from Kiba especially, and did not allow him to court me because they felt that the Inuzuka clan was trying to go beyond their social ranking.” Neji flushed deeply before he finished. “They thought he had manipulated me to trigger my heat.”

Few things could trigger heat or presentation in an omega before the usual time, and Sasuke had a pretty clear idea of what they were. “Did he?” Sasuke asked, wondering if Kiba was the alpha Neji should be given too if he would do such a thing?

“Well, yes, he did affect me,” Neji whispered, flushing deeper red. “It was not manipulation as such, as I allowed it.”

“How?” Sasuke asked.

“That’s personal,” Neji replied hotly. Sasuke raised his eyebrows and waited. Neji looked away from him. “… I used my mouth.”

“Classy,” Sasuke snickered.

“Shut up,” Neji complained, turning to smack lightly at Sasuke with the heel of his hand. “Anyway, as I was- doing that... I felt myself begin to present as an omega. Of course, I could not allow him to mate me just there, so I went home and tried to ask for our marriage. The honorable clan head said no, saying he would prefer to keep me for the purity of the bloodline. As a branch so near the main family, I suppose I was too valuable an omega to give to simply give to the Inuzuka.”

Sasuke nodded. “Hinata mentioned it.” Sasuke could imagine the clan’s reaction to Kiba as a potential mate for their newly presented omega. Neji was a branch family only from being the clan head’s younger brother’s child if Sasuke understood correctly. His breeding must be impeccable. The Inuzuka, on the other hand, though they produced prime alphas time after time, let their children run wild and mate with whomever. He’d gathered as much from one of Kiba and Naruto’s conversations, which he’d overheard while lying across his alpha’s lap while they chatted.

Neji tipped his head this way and that as if planning what he would say before continuing his story. “Hinata and I made plans to run, as neither of us would be able to bond our desired mates while staying here, and it seemed at first that we would get away, but… I went into my first heat at just the wrong moment. I thought of him too much, and it triggered it in me. I told Hinata to leave me behind.”

“I understand,” Sasuke praised. “You saved her.”

Neji sighed softly. He didn’t regret it, but he had suffered as a result of his actions. But if he’d forced Hinata to help him, maybe neither of them would have escaped, and no one would be here rescuing him. “What about you?” Neji asked, his eyes raising back to the Uchiha’s. “How did you get to be bonded to your mate?”

“I ran because the alpha they were giving me to was a monster.” At Neji’s questioning look, Sasuke clarified. “The snake sage, Lord Orochimaru.”

“Cursed alpha,” the other omega spat, his expression between disgust and horror. “Your parents really promised you to him?” He looked almost sick at the thought. Sasuke nodded, mirroring those same feelings within himself. Every day he was grateful he’d managed to drive that creature off and that he’d been bonded to Naruto instead. “Knowing what may happen to any which are not his first?”

“He promised wealth in exchange,” Sasuke explained. “We’d been hungry.”

Neji watched him carefully, then said, “But you still ran.”

“Is it selfish?” Sasuke asked, shame gripping him. He wondered how they’d fared without him, especially since he hadn’t extinguished all his flames before leaving. He supposed Itachi could have handled it, but if Kisame died, Itachi could also be- 

No. There was no way for someone like Itachi to die from a broken bond with someone as beneath him as Kisame. He hoped Kisame was dead, and he hoped Itachi would find a better mate. He’d left his brother there, though. His conscience didn’t let him ignore that his parents would try to arrange another bond, one that was probably equally disappointing. Maybe they would have even offered him to the snake. He didn’t think Itachi needed his help to survive, but Sasuke felt supremely guilty for forgetting.

Neji shook his head and put a soothing hand on Sasuke’s shoulder. “A little, but I cannot blame you. Hopefully, they found other ways.” the other omega hesitated, his face becoming grim. “Perhaps they traded someone else.” Perhaps it had been Itachi. Would he go so far out of duty to his clan? Kisame had been beneath him, but Orochimaru was another story altogether. “I... shouldn’t have spoken that, forgive me,” Neji apologized, sensing the fall in Sasuke's mood.

“It’s fine,” Sasuke replied. “Denial never serves.”

“And your alpha?”

Sasuke should phrase it diplomatically, or he’d scare Neji away from what would probably be a very healthy bond with Kiba. “I caught his scent and entered enemy territory to follow it,” Sasuke sighed, his mind still partially occupied with his brother and how Sasuke might help him. “I saw him performing secret techniques, so he had to mate me to spare me.”

“How naive you were,” Neji breathed, surprised. “You’re lucky to be alive, and your alpha is quite brave. Mating you was bordering on treason.”

“I know,” Sasuke replied, looking away. He’d been a fool then. Naruto, for all his flaws and stupidity, had made the right decision in that split second. No matter how Sasuke had hated it then, more recently, he was relieved, and occasionally even almost… thankful. Or something near it.

“It must be true that they keep Uchiha omega hidden away,” Neji assumed. Sasuke didn’t reply because it was clear. “How is it?” Neji asked, coming a little closer and keeping his voice low. “Being mated.” 

“It’s good,” Sasuke replied plainly. Good was a bit of an understatement, but if he spoke too highly of his mate’s prowess and it got back to the alpha, Sasuke wouldn’t be able to live. Truly, the omega felt his insides quiver at just the thought of it, and since being knotted properly, it was never far from his mind to have it done again.

“I heard it hurts,” Neji pressed. “I heard it feels like being torn apart.”

“It does,” Sasuke admitted. He remembered, suddenly, vividly the ripping feeling of being opened. The ecstasy and unsure terror of it. The desperation. “But you will want him to do it.” Neji shivered, his hands pulling absently at the hem of his cream-colored robes. “And after that, it will feel good.”

Neji's hand shifted upwards and touched his throat. His eyes were no doubt fixed on the silver crescent of Sasuke’s mark. “Even the bite?”

“Yes.” At least voluntarily taken bites, anyway. But it surely seemed that Neji was a volunteer in his and Kiba’s relationship. He’d offered to use his mouth before presenting- before his urges to mate would have been strong- just to be nice? Out of affection? Personally, Sasuke didn’t get it, but it did show that Neji was willing. He’d said as much, as well. “If you enjoyed using your mouth before presenting, you’ll enjoy being mated.”

Neji did a slight squirm in place. Sasuke surmised that he had enjoyed that, had derived some pleasure from watching the alpha experience his ministrations. “Now you’ve made me impatient,” the omega breathed.

“Just don’t go into heat again,” Sasuke warned, smirking.

“I’ll try,” the other omega replied drily. Neji’s expression was slightly embarrassed, but it seemed like he also found it amusing. “Look, it’s that time,” Neji reminded him, pointing at where the meeting was happening. “Go.”

“All right,” Sasuke agreed, standing with a slight sway. Had he maybe had a little too much? No sense worrying about it now, he didn’t have any time to sober up, and all he had to do was make a mess.

“Hold on,” Neji said. He guided Sasuke’s hand to make a fresh splash of liquor on him. What Hinata had added had generally dried up.

“Ugh,” Sasuke complained, slammed with the renewal of the alcohol's scent.

“I know,” Neji agreed, wrinkling his nose. He squeezed Sasuke’s hand. “Thank you.”

Sasuke shook his head. “Thank me after.” After all, it was yet to be seen if they would all escape or be beaten savagely.

“Naruto, you fucking dumb-ass,” Sasuke slurred, pushing open the sliding door with his shoulder and slumping against it before standing up and stumbling into the room.

“We’ve nearly finished,” Naruto warned him. “Wait outside.” But he wasn’t meant to obey that, not really.

“What about me?” Sasuke shouted, slamming the ceramic vase into the ground, sending the acrid smelling liquid splashing everywhere. “How could you bond her when-” He had to sell it. “When I love you so much more-” He let himself fall to his knees. His eyes found Hinata’s where she was pretending to cower near the back of the room. She nodded minutely when their eyes met, encouraging him. “And my clan-” he faked a sob. “You really choose the Hyuuga clan-” he demanded, gesturing wildly. To be fair, it was a nice temple, and if not for what he’d heard against the general character of this clan’s alphas, he’d hesitate to set it alight. “Look at her. She’s nothing.”

“Child, go back to your room,” Hiashi told him, his voice hard and impatient. “It’s already shameful that a witch like you is the first in the marriage of my daughter.” Witch- there was that word again. What did it mean? Was it his lightning? Or the fire- or just that he was an Uchiha? Why were the Uchiha feared instead of celebrated for their power? “You’ve embarrassed yourself enough.”

“Oh, have I?” Sasuke asked, feeling the pull as Hiashi’s words to him demanded fire even sooner than he would have called it anyway. He looked back at Naruto, letting grief replace the rage he was affecting. “Tell me, my alpha, does she have power like this?” He let the fire pour out of him, igniting the wood and paper above his mate’s head. 

He’d meant to burn it, but it leaped into a blaze that didn’t match the draining he felt in his core. For a second, Sasuke felt fear at his creation. He couldn’t extinguish it, as that would definitely ruin everything. He threw a panicked look to his alpha. 

“That’s enough,” Naruto snarled, crossing the room in a second and shoving Sasuke under him. Naruto’s red energy expanded from over Sasuke in a wave, and the omega mewled quietly as the power forced its way through his body and into the ground. 

He sensed his flames being extinguished from the rafters above. A large wooden lantern slammed into the ground somewhere to their left, but Sasuke was so stunned by the wave of energy and barely registered it. He struggled for appearances, but it was meaningless. Sasuke kept pretending to thrash, but he was inwardly relieved. His part was over. He could only hope that Neji had moved just as expediently.

XXX

“Sorry about that,” Naruto told Hiashi, pressing down on the convincingly thrashing omega below him. He leaned down and released a snarl that promised violence. Sasuke jerked and stilled, panting hard under him. The omega’s sparking scent submitted too, becoming sweet and open, and his body vibrated with that silent purr, striking Naruto between his legs. 

The alpha would fuck Sasuke there in front of all the assembled Hyuuga, but his mind knew there were more important things at stake. He might wrestle Sasuke down later again and see if he had the same response. “You know how Uchiha omega can be,” he told the Hyuuga clan head, grinning sheepishly. “Kind of lost my temper.”

“That was quite a display of energy,” Hiashi complimented. His eyes had a shine to them that Naruto understood most closely as greed. “I can’t begrudge my temple no longer being on fire, even if it was your first who set it.”

“Well, you know…” he deflected.

“I’m sure there will be a way for you the repay this to us in the future,” Hiashi decided, acting graciously even though he was basically saying Naruto owed him. “And we were still able to complete the ceremony.”

“Yes,” Naruto agreed. “But I think we’ve overstayed our time here. Being outside of home really makes omega misbehave.” Sasuke gave a soft whine under him, his arms beginning to shake from the stressful position. “I need to discipline them both.” He stood, and Sasuke moved with him, stumbling enough that it was easier for Naruto to just haul the omega over his shoulder. Sasuke really had committed to the role. It seemed he was actually under the influence.

“Quite understandably,” Hiashi agreed, looking at the long pale run of Sasuke’s exposed legs. So he wasn’t the only one who’d picked up on Sasuke’s scent. Naruto growled warningly, spreading his hand over the omega’s exposed skin, and the other alpha quickly averted his eyes.

“Hinata, we’re going,” Naruto announced. Hinata stood from her spot and hurried over to him, putting her hand on his arm. She bowed deeply to her clan, and then Naruto started walking, feeling her hurry after them. They grabbed their things from the room, which were already packed, and hurried to the meeting spot.

“He should be here,” Hinata worried, most likely seeing nothing. 

Sasuke jerked his head at the tree and approached it. “Neji,” he greeted, putting out his hand to help the omega climb out of the tree foliage where he’d been hiding. Naruto wondered how he’d seen the omega, but it was probably a difference between his red eyes and the Hyuuga’s white ones.

Neji squeezed Sasuke’s hand in thanks and then crossed the distance between himself and Hinata. “Cousin,” he greeted, embracing her lovingly. Hinata looked over the moon. She squeezed him back, pushing their cheeks together and stroking his long, shiny hair.

“You were able to slip out with no problems?” Naruto asked when the omega came over to bow to him in thanks.

“Nobody could see anything through that flood,” Neji replied, shaking his head. “The hardest part was finding this spot in all the red.”

Naruto grinned, feeling guilty. Had he overdone it and made it harder for the omega? “Sorry. I needed it to be convincing,” Naruto apologized.

“Don’t apologize,” Neji told him, inclining his head. “Thank you.”

“Come on, let’s not linger,” Sasuke urged, and Hinata nodded emphatically. She’d been holding onto Neji since he arrived, and Naruto sensed that Neji was similar to Sasuke as far as physical touching went, so him allowing this clinginess meant he had missed her just as much.

They were on the wooded path toward town when Kiba burst out of the trees, panting hard. “Neji! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Neji replied evenly, but his scent did a sudden swoop and rise that it betrayed… well, everything.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Kiba cried, lifting the omega into his arms and hugging him tightly.

“Put me down,” Neji complained, shifting around in the alpha’s arms till he got his upper body free. He kicked, and got his feet on the ground, then shook out his long silky hair, straightening out the parts Kiba had ruffled in his exuberance. He didn’t move any further away than that, though, and seemed to lean against his alpha as he drew his hair over his shoulder in a gesture that reminded Naruto strongly of Hinata. It exposed his neck, and Naruto had to avert his eyes as they briefly scented each other and kissed.

“I feel like I’m looking at us,” Naruto whispered to his first, who was also looking away.

“Shut up,” Sasuke replied, smirking at him faintly.

“Thank you, Naruto!” He nearly went to the ground as the canine-alpha tackle-thanked him, rubbing his nose against Naruto’s. They were a team, and as both canine-leaning primes, they could even see each other as a pack, so it wasn’t the gesture so much as the timing that made it a surprise.

“Oh wow,” Naruto breathed, not expecting to be thanked. “Any time, buddy.” He hugged Kiba back and allowed the exuberant alpha to kiss his mouth. “But it really was Hinata.” Kiba withdrew from Naruto and looked at Hinata. Both of them checked with him. “Go ahead,” he allowed. 

“Thank you, Hinata~!” Kiba lifted Hinata off her feet and spun her around. She giggled, leaning her head against his shoulder as she was twirled. He set her down, and she returned to Naruto’s side.

Kiba nodded with finality. And it was true. Their business here was done, and they ought to get moving. Naruto covered his mouth with his hand to keep from laughing when Kiba threw Neji over his shoulder. “Come on, let's get you opened.”

“Brute,” Neji sighed, but fondly. “Nice meeting you,” he called over Kiba’s shoulder, waving. “Hopefully, our paths cross again.”

“Come by the house at any time!” Naruto told them both. He was sure they’d all be having dinner together soon. But first, it was important for the two of them to spend some time together, bonding properly. After all, the Hyuuga clan wouldn’t go chasing after an omega who’d already been bonded. They’d either let go of Neji entirely or invite Kiba to come back and officiate bond properly as they’d done for Naruto.

“Well, let's go home,” Sasuke decided. “I don’t feel steady.” Sasuke was still a little wobbly on his feet, and for that matter, Neji had smelled of alcohol too. He would have to ask about their little drinking session later. Had the two omega bonded? He wouldn’t mind if Sasuke had more friends and if one of them was the bride of his deputy, even better.

Naruto put an arm around the omega’s waist and carried his weight so Sasuke would only have to move his feet. He gave Naruto a brief, grateful look. “You guys want to eat in town?” Naruto asked. “I’m starving.” They’d booked it before the banquet. “Hinata, I don’t know where you learned to cook because the food in your house was not as tasty.”

“I didn’t see you eating any less,” Sasuke teased, snickering against his side.

“You either,” Naruto snapped playfully.

“Oh, stop,” Hinata giggled. She seemed to get overwhelmed with positive emotion and hugged them both, smiling up at them with a face that managed to be beautiful and serene despite the darkening mark on her cheek. “I’ll make sure to cook you something nice tomorrow. You spoiled children.”

“Hinata, you’ve really been letting your tongue slip to me,” Naruto growled, grabbing her wrists and yanking her against his chest.

“Who me?” She asked innocently, fluttering her lashes.

“Come here,” he ordered, even though she was already against him. She obediently laid her head on his shoulder, and he bit.

“Oh,” she gasped. He hoped that would remind her that even though he’d been letting her call the shots a little bit recently, he was still her alpha, and in the end, he was the one in charge.

“Behave,” he ordered. She bit her lip and didn’t say ‘make me,’ But Naruto sensed her thinking it anyway. He pushed her off the path and into the trees the bordered it. “In there-” he ordered. Hinata went. He jumped, and his feet hit the earth solidly.

“What about leaving?” Sasuke asked, letting his legs hang off the edge of the path as he let himself down after them. As he slid, his robe rolled up, showing his creamy thighs and the light, pink scar where Kushina had marked him with her claws. Sasuke was still messy and smeared from his performance, fake tears making tracks down his marble cheeks. Sometimes, he really wanted to mess his omega up. Sometimes his inner alpha felt a little violent, and seeing Sasuke dressed like that was one of those things. 

“Right after,” Naruto promised, yanking Hinata’s clothes open. He heard fabric ripping and knew he’d been too rough, but when he checked Hinata, she only seemed surprised but amused. “We’re already off their land,” he soothed his first, before tugging Hinata against him. “Come, Hinata, and don’t you dare disobey me.”

She made a soft submissive sound, letting his hands roam wherever they wanted, even encouraging his rough attentions to her breasts and hips. “Sasuke,” she breathed, as Naruto thrust into her. She spread her ass, and Naruto growled with base satisfaction as she tightened around him from excitement. “Can I offer you-?” Naruto took over holding her open, and she held onto his shoulders instead, tipping her hips up so Sasuke could kneel behind her and push his hardness in against Naruto’s. “That-” She gasped, shuddering for him as Naruto twisted up her hair in his fist and tugged hard. “Am I truly going to get punished?” Her voice told him she wanted to be. She understood the need to go back to the natural order just as he did.

“You’ve been a bad girl,” Naruto growled, even though she’d perfect, and he could not desire more from her.

“Unforgiveable,” Sasuke agreed, purring as he thrust into her ass. She was tight there, enough even that a normal-sized member like Sasuke’s was stretching her out. “Making us go along with her selfish desires.” Naruto could feel him moving, and his own body was tensing with anticipation. He wanted to move too, but this was a new position, and he wanted to give her a second. Hinata cried out softly with each motion, her nails scratching Naruto’s back as she shuddered and squirmed against his knot, teasing herself with its girth.

“You two,” Hinata gasped, as Sasuke’s next movement was rough enough to force her down on Naruto. That snapped the alpha’s control, and he bucked up into her too. “Mmm!” She moaned. “Then use me, and forgive me,” she pleaded, kissing Naruto’s neck with gentle reverence, despite the roughness he was showing her slick, fluttering pussy. She felt so good, and her tight entrance was a slick vice around his knot that he moved in and out of with abandon. He’d had to be so controlled, so unlike himself, that throwing away all his cares now felt amazing beyond even just the sensation of mating. He howled, feeling her delicious heat stroke him as she tried to bounce for them. She was so tight from having both of them in her, and the sensation of Sasuke’s dick stroking him through her was more than intense.

It didn’t take long for him to come at all. He used his fist to knot in since he didn’t want to lay in the woods for so long, and Hinata whimpered prettily against him, complaining about not getting to keep it. He would let her hold it later. He would make her hold it until she couldn’t anymore, later.

“So now you have two unsteady omega,” Sasuke panted, tumbling back and away from Hinata. His dick lay soft and heavy against his belly, and he ran a hand through his hair, mussing it more.

“I’ll just carry you,” Naruto offered, wanting to carry the omega so he could keep breathing in the scent of lust, laced with intoxication. He wanted to carry him and then maybe find a tree to press him against.

“I’ll walk,” Sasuke decided, sitting up but swaying still. “You’ll just have to wait.”

“I can actually walk just fine, Naruto,” Hinata promised, helping Sasuke up onto his feet. “Sasuke is the only unsteady one here.”

“... Fine, carry me,” Sasuke allowed with an annoyed sigh. And so Naruto got his wish. Naruto made himself do the right thing and let his omega’s get home. They needed more sleep. They didn’t have Kurama’s chakra to support them.

When they got home, Hinata excused herself pretty much right away. “I’m going to bathe and then go to bed. The last few days have been exhausting.” Naruto nodded. He couldn’t fault her for that. She came over and kissed them both. Sasuke seemed surprised by it, but he still accepted. He seemed like he might follow her to bathe, but Naruto grabbed his hand and reeled him in. 

He knew he was being grabby and indecisive on top of that, but he’d been so controlled until then that he felt... wild and uncontrollable. He wasn’t satisfied yet. Nor was he tired. “It looks like you two have things to discuss,” Hinata teased, covering her mouth with her sleeve. “Please do it out here.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Naruto agreed, saluting. He’d give her a day or two to get off the habit of telling him what to do, and then he’d spank her. “Are we discussing?” He asked the omega as soon as they were alone. Sasuke gave him a guarded look, but let Naruto draw him in close, and bared his throat in invitation when Naruto pulled on his hair.

“You’ve been staring at me,” Sasuke complained. “So if we’re discussing something, you tell me what.”

“I told you I like this look,” Naruto told Sasuke, touching the omega’s pouty red lips. He wondered if Hinata’s paints would stand up to his knot, thrusting slow and deep into Sasuke’s mouth. “Let's drink more.”

“Yeah, okay,” Sasuke agreed, releasing a soft pant as Naruto handled him in the direction he wanted the omega to go. Naruto hadn't known Sasuke in this state would be such a thing for him, but it seemed they were both surprised, and more importantly, curious to find out more. He’d had Sasuke a little tipsy before, the night of the bonfire, but this night he planned to take the omega beyond that.

He fetched a bottle of drink from a cabinet in the sitting room and came back upon Sasuke still standing there, waiting for Naruto with slightly glazed eyes. With only a slight push, Sasuke fell into a pile of cushions in one of the sitting rooms. It was far enough from where Hinata was sleeping that they wouldn’t be heard. Naruto pressed a drink into his mate’s hands and breathed at his throat as the scent of intoxication spread through his mate’s body. The drunker he smelled, the slicker his scent became. Naruto knew his mate would be soaking wet he the alpha touched him. “Get away,” Sasuke complained, slurring slightly as he put his hand in the alpha’s face to create room. 

Naruto backed up too far on purpose, and Sasuke huffed, following, coming onto his knees before losing his balance, letting himself fall around Naruto’s shoulders. The omega purred, rubbing his silky dark hair against the underside of Naruto’s jaw. He’d scented Sasuke wanting to submit earlier, and now that they were alone, the omega was doing it eagerly. He watched Sasuke struggle to hold the container upright and accept Naruto’s attention at the same time. He was so pretty in his surprise, in his nervous eyelash flicks.

Naruto loved how the omega tried to hide his arousal. He loved the soft uncoordinated movements, and the overheated exhales, and the openly lustful gaze that the omega then schooled into something slightly less affected. It was even easier to push the omega over that time, sending him sprawling on his back, his hands only focusing on keeping the mouth of the bottle up, and the rest of his limbs scattered wildly. “You want me like this?” The omega asked, his eyes flashing red for a second. Naruto nodded, pulling Sasuke close to lick into his mouth. “Beast,” the omega breathed, passing him the container. He took the bottle and drank from it himself. It made his skin prickle with renewed heat and stronger arousal even than before. He set it aside.

“It's true,” Naruto admitted, running his fingers along the feverishly hot seam between his omega’s thighs. It was already weeping pearls of the omega’s slick before he even parted it. “I want you helpless.” Sasuke shivered, his body falling open as he forgot how to squirm, how to keep his legs closed. “But only for me.” His chest rose and fell in a deep breath, and the fabric covering it parted, sliding off the omega’s pale shoulders. Naruto bowed low, kissing Sasuke deeply and feeling that hot, twitching hole kiss his fingertips. “Show me,” he asked.

Sasuke rolled his hips up, and Naruto felt his fingertips breach the soft, clenching tension of his mate’s body. The omega was as wet as Naruto had anticipated. Fine strands of slick clung to his fingers even as he pulled them away. Of course, Sasuke pressed his hips up into Naruto’s hand, so soon, the alpha’s touch was buried in that wet warmth again. The omega moaned, biting his smudged lip.

“Make me feel good, won’t you?” Naruto asked. Sasuke nodded and curled up on Naruto’s lap, at eye level with his cock. The omega whined softly as Naruto rearranged him so he could keep teasing that slick hole with his fingers. Sasuke pushed his hair back, but he was drunk and clumsy, so it kept getting in his way until Naruto used his free hand to comb the strands up and away. Sasuke opened his mouth, let his soft, pink tongue peek out, and let Naruto’s hardness slide all the way to the back of his throat.

Because of their completed mission, or the alcohol or something else Naruto didn’t know about, Sasuke’s usually reserved way was completely gone. He fucked his own throat with abandon, using the tight channel of flesh to stroke Naruto even as small tears ran down his ringed eyes, smudging the paint there beyond recognition.

The alpha swore, his body tightening as he almost tied then and there. Sasuke was normally tidy, but the head he was giving was sloppy. The omega pulled back with a slurp to gasp a few breaths, and his saliva dripped from his pouty mouth onto Naruto’s head, making it twitch. Sasuke swallowed and parted his lips, taking it again. The alpha groaned loudly. His fist tightened in his omega’s hair. The omega was choking softly, and Naruto could feel his throat working as he struggled to take all of Naruto down it while stretching his painted red lips around his mate’s knot. There was no way the omega could be getting any air, and his body confirmed that by jerking in little fits that meant the omega’s lungs were crying out for breath- but Sasuke was more focused on making Naruto come and that in itself almost finished the alpha.

He was so close. “Hold here, and I can-” Holding onto the omega’s hair had freed his hands, so it was easy for Sasuke to use both hands to squeeze Naruto’s knot hard enough for him to tie. Sasuke kept up that honestly brutal pace as Naruto came, fucking his throat as Naruto’s thick, white seed flooded the omega’s mouth and came sliding down the shaft. Each convulsion of the omega’s throat around him triggered another pump of his release. Naruto groaned. His hips rolling up as he held the omega down on him. “Don’t let go,” Naruto begged. He’d be in for an unpleasant feeling if the omega did. Sasuke hummed to show he’d heard, letting Naruto’s seed and sticky bubbles of saliva dribble from his mouth while still keeping a tight grip on the alpha’s knot.

The omega submitted so deeply that he kept the alpha’s member crammed into his mouth even when his eyes began to flutter and glaze over from lack of air. Naruto pulled him away, and Sasuke took a deep, gasping breath. “Good?” The omega asked, his voice cracking from the abuse he’d done to his throat. Naruto almost came again. The answer to his question about the paint on Sasuke’s lips was a clear no. It was smeared obscenely all around his soft pink mouth, and lines of it on Naruto’s member as well, and after Sasuke had rubbed his mouth on his sleeve, wrinkling up his nose as he spat out Naruto’s taste, it was gone. His eyes, though- there were still ringed with ruined black and grey markings, and his tears had drawn it down in more watery tracks, leaving Sasuke looking thoroughly used.

“Amazing.” Naruto praised, still out of breath. 

“Should I?” Sasuke asked unhurriedly, stroking Naruto until he was painfully twitching from being so hard. He leaned down and sucked the swelled base of the alpha’s cock, flicking his tongue temptingly over the knot. Naruto wanted to fuck his omega’s face again- but he knew that would just be abusive. He would gladly make use of another opening, though.

“Right now,” the alpha growled, taking the omega’s fine wrists into his hands and pulling him to straddle the alpha’s lap. The omega sat down, his spine straightening as Naruto stretched his tight hole open. Usually, the omega would control or cover his face, but this time his pleasure showed openly. “Mmm,” the alpha groaned, feeling the Uchiha tight around him. The omega let out a soft cry as Naruto’s knot bumped his slit. He twisted free of Naruto’s hands to put his palms on the alpha’s stomach- 

But he couldn’t find his balance that way and ended up falling back onto his ass. He tried placing his hands behind himself, and Naruto groaned his approval as the omega began to ride with increasing speed and confidence. His cock vanished into Sasuke’s slick depths with each lift and fall of Sasuke’s hips on top of him. Sasuke cried out wantonly, his legs quaking violently as his pussy struck Naruto’s knot with a slap that made him cum. He shifted his weight, and the swelled base of Naruto’s knot breached the omega’s narrow body.

“Fuck,” Sasuke breathed, rolling his shoulders in pleasure as he got around the widest part of it. “It’s going-” He rocked his hips sharply downward, and both partner’s gasped as their join was completed. It was a sign of Sasuke’s strength to seat it in one movement like that. Before, he’d been shy of it and not been able to apply enough force.

Lately- Naruto would have had a harder time keeping it from him. “You got it,” Naruto complimented, watching in awe as Sasuke took the knot for himself. 

“Yeah,” Sasuke panted, his eyes rolling back, his whole body rolling sensually on top of the alpha’s. “I got it,” he repeated, his hips twitching hard on top of Naruto’s as the alpha tied. “It’s mine.”

“You’re silly,” Naruto laughed. Sasuke smirked, equally amused. He panted as Naruto thrust lightly from beneath him, bliss transforming his expression, and liquor painting a gorgeous red flush over his white cheeks.

“I want to wash when you let me go,” Sasuke decided, laying back on Naruto’s knees, as though the alpha were his personal chair. Naruto wanted to complain, but Sasuke looked so good there. If his words made the omega move, the alpha wouldn’t forgive himself. He knew he’d made the right choice when Sasuke ran his fingers along his own length and started languidly touching himself. “I’m tired of this smell.”

With each stroke along his length, the omega tightened deliciously, squeezing Naruto’s knot with a pressure that seemed to pull on muscles all through the alpha’s body, and made him want to curl up. He shuddered, his hands squeezing on the omega’s hips as his cock jerked before releasing another spurt of his seed into Sasuke’s warm body.

Sasuke’s grip on himself sped up its motion- and Naruto felt the omega tightening powerfully around him as another orgasm swept over him. Naruto watched the omega spill on his hand, the newly formed muscles on his stomach clenching fetchingly.

Naruto let Sasuke go as soon as he could- even though it pinched his knot a little to remove it from the omega early. He held Sasuke’s hand to help him walk to the well and drew him up a bucket. Sasuke poured the entire thing over himself with a cute little shout and handed the bucket back to Naruto, asking silently for another. The alpha gave him that as well.

Again, Sasuke poured the icy cold water over himself, this time using his cupped hands instead of upending the whole container. His pale, naked body shivered and shook off sparkles in the light of the half-moon. He washed his face, thoroughly, and between his thighs as well. That Naruto didn’t like- he would have to replace that before the omega went to sleep, so his prize could sleep with Naruto’s seed and scent imprinting into his womb all night.

“You’re so gorgeous,” Naruto sighed, touching his mate’s cold skin, feeling the goosebumps smooth out in response to the warmth of his touch. Sasuke tipped the bucket and poured most of the contents over the alpha, raining down on Naruto with fresh, pure spring water. It smelled wonderfully clean, as did Sasuke.

“Thank you,” Sasuke accepted, almost absently. He was still distracted, his eyes slightly unfocused. Naruto shook himself, sending drops of water flying. He knelt, putting his hands on the omega’s hips, and scenting the tempting combination of the omega’s sexes.

Without the scent of the alcohol on the outside of him, all that remained was the inner heat of intoxication. Sasuke half-collapsed against the side of the well when Naruto tasted his cock, and it seemed like he might tip back into the well if Naruto didn’t do something. “Don’t fall,” the alpha laughed, lacing his hands with his omega’s. Sasuke whined a soft complaint, and Naruto squeezed his hands tightly. “I got you,” he promised.

“I hope so,” Sasuke breathed, his eyes fluttering shut as Naruto took the omega into his mouth, careful to cover his canines with his lips to protect his mate’s delicate skin. As perverse as it was for an alpha to do this- Naruto liked it. He liked to watch Sasuke flex and roll against the side of the well as Naruto worked him using his mouth. He liked the up close scent and taste of his mate’s body as he was pleasured.

The omega came, and Naruto had little choice but to swallow it. He didn’t want to interrupt his mate’s release, and he knew the working of his throat would coax the omega towards orgasm. Sasuke’s was not so big that Naruto couldn’t breathe through his nose, so he let Sasuke pull desperately at his hair, his hips twitching as he tried not to buck into the alpha’s mouth. Naruto felt the omega spill everything down his throat. When it was done, the alpha licked his lips and met his omega’s eyes.

Sasuke gave him a totally wrecked look, and Naruto had a few moments to react before Sasuke started sliding down the stones of the well. He caught the omega in his arms and felt the slight thing clumsily nuzzling him, full of affection after his release.

They kissed, and Sasuke might have whispered those three words, but either way, Naruto felt it in every touch, heard it in the way Sasuke sighed in pleasure at each caress. He could smell it in the absolutely honeyed sweetness of his mate’s satisfaction as they lay on the stones by the well.

Eventually, they drew apart. Sasuke drank from the remains of water pooling in the bucket and rose to his feet. Naruto followed him. It seemed the omega was on his way to bed. Naruto wanted to rest too. Not more than he wanted to keep mating, but- if Sasuke was walking, that pretty much answered his question before he could ask it.  
  
“Quiet, remember?” Sasuke whispered, stopping short of the room and touching Naruto’s mouth gently. The full lines of their bodies met when he stopped walking suddenly, and Naruto felt the curve of the omega’s ass against his front. That did it. He pressed the omega over a solid piece of wooden furniture that stood just to the side of the paper door.

“You remember,” he growled quietly. “Not a sound,” he pushed his fingers into the omega’s wet mouth and let his cock do the same to Sasuke’s slick pussy. The omega’s body writhed, but he was quiet. So sweet, so obedient, Naruto loved him. He licked the omega’s neck and felt him shudder slightly. There was no sound, other than the wet noise of Sasuke’s body as he took Naruto’s thickness into him, and the slight creaking of the wooden floor under their feet as Naruto thrust. Nothing enough to wake his deeply sleeping second. 

They tied quickly, Naruto’s purpose being only to put Sasuke to bed full of him. “You perfect thing, are you tired?” Naruto asked his first, feeling his knot expand and lock his omega to him. He would never get over that feeling. Sasuke was his.

“I was tired when we got here,” the omega whispered. Then his breath became unsteady as Naruto’s knot throbbed inside him. Naruto could feel Sasuke’s body quivering and adjusting around him, pulling him into the perfect position to breed the Uchiha. Naruto would not disappoint. He would leave his mate just leaking with it. Sasuke panted softly as Naruto gripped his hips and pressed his knot even deeper, feeling the omega’s seed slicked insides convulse with pleasure around him. “H-how do you think I feel now?”

“I wish I could get you into bed with you still on my knot like this,” the alpha complained quietly. He should like to go to sleep feeling his mate accept each spurt of his rhythmically pumping seed. But he wouldn’t risk waking Hinata for that. “But you’ll just have to wait for a little.” He massaged the omega’s lower back and had him sighing in pleasure until the alpha’s knot went down enough to release. Then, once they’d separated, he carried the omega to bed.

Sasuke crowded so close in his affections that they might as well have still been joined, and that made the alpha deeply happy.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes things just get done earlier, y’all.

“This is complete bullshit,” Sasuke hissed, wanting to rip the offensive scrap of rice paper in half. They dared write Naruto. They dared to not address the correspondence to him, their clan member. So much for insular policies. It was his own father’s handwriting, and yet somehow it held no mention of Sasuke whatsoever unless he was meant to take “the omega” as a respectful address. He didn’t.

“What is it, Sasuke?” Naruto asked, poking his head into the room. He spied the letter, and probably his name where it was written on the outside. “Hey, that’s mine,” he accused, folding his arms. His eyes flashed with amusement. “Thief.”

“It’s from my parents.” Sasuke scowled, feeling the paper reach a tension that was near ripping as his hands tightened on it. “They haven’t written to me.” 

“Forget them,” Naruto soothed, making a dismissive face and sitting cross-legged beside the omega. Sasuke made a frustrated sound and was about to put his fist to some of the wood, but Naruto caught Sasuke’s fist in his palm and killed all of Sasuke’s momentum. “And stop punching my house. You’re too strong for that now.”

That admission of his power at least soothed Sasuke. “I don’t know if that’s going to be possible,” the omega decided, handing the paper over. “Look.”

“It’s an invitation. It looks like they want to accept me.” Naruto tossed the paper aside and took Sasuke’s hands into his own. “I’m sorry they didn’t write to you at all.” He pulled, and Sasuke scooted forward on his knees so the alpha could kiss him. “They really haven’t repented at all?”

“It’s fine,” Sasuke decided, deliberately cooling the part of himself he’d allowed to become upset. “Are we going?”

“Would you want to?” Naruto asked, pausing. He hadn’t expected that. Sasuke nodded. The reasons he wanted to go were not anything that would please his clan. Instead, he planned to cause them trouble.

Itachi- we have to see how he’s doing,” Sasuke urged. He had to at least check on his brother. “Are you up to maybe steal one more omega?” There was no telling if Itachi would need saving or not, but Sasuke wouldn’t forgive himself if he didn’t at least check. Itachi had been one of the few bearable people in his clan and had initially fought against the Uchiha’s marriage practices. Eventually, he’d given up, but Sasuke thought it was because his sub-par alpha made him sick somehow.

“It’s practically my job at this point,” Naruto joked. Sasuke rolled his eyes. Sasuke was making a plan, copying Hinata’s methods. He would use the alpha as bait to get everyone’s guards down. Once he had his chance, he’d find out if and how Itachi needed to be rescued or assisted in freeing himself. Sasuke couldn’t give half a shit whether his clan accepted Naruto, and he knew Naruto cared even less. “It’s probably also is better that we leave before the Hyuuga can put together that we gave one of their omega to Kiba.”

Sasuke nodded thoughtfully. “I wish them both luck in that.” His body tensed- he was feeling playful, and Naruto sitting there casually made him want to jump on the alpha. Naruto laughed when Sasuke pounced onto him. They wrestled, Sasuke managing to take Naruto down... too easily. “You’re so strong now,” Naruto wheezed, straining against Sasuke’s hold half-heartedly.

“Do it seriously,” Sasuke hissed, locking his alpha’s neck into his elbow. “Use all your strength.”

“No way-” Naruto gasped. His grip was powerful on Sasuke’s wrist as he tried to pry himself free, but when the omega flinched, the alpha just let up, inching back his strength till it didn’t hurt. But with only that much force, he wouldn’t be able to break out. “I can’t,” the alpha whined, making big eyes at him. 

“Then suffer,” the omega decided, tightening his arm. Were primes hardier physically, or did they just heal? Was it both? Were there different kinds, or were they all vessels to something or another to account for their inhuman strength? For him to be prepared- he needed to know what Naruto really could fight like.

“Sasukeeee,” Naruto whined again, kicking his feet. “I give up.” So he was completely unwilling to battle Sasuke in strength. Swordplay he’d been glad to teach, but Sasuke knew that wasn’t the alpha’s specialty. It was hand to hand or close range. Naruto seemed completely unwilling to go all out in his preferred style. It must be because he knew how deadly it was. Sasuke hissed in displeasure and let the blond go. Naruto gasped and choked, rubbing away the pain in his windpipe. So Sasuke had managed to hurt him some. So at least for Naruto, it was incredibly fast healing more than an inability to be damaged. That added up with what he’d seen after cutting Naruto with his short sword. He’d remember it. 

“Let me see you,” Naruto asked. Sasuke knelt before his alpha and tipped his head to the side in an invitation, showing his mark and throat in submission to his mate’s desire. Naruto touched Sasuke’s arms, feeling out the strength the omega had managed to build there. “You really pack on size when you train.” Sasuke shivered as the touch moved to his abdominal muscles, the alpha’s claws dipping into the grooves and planes of his body. He flexed his legs a little when Naruto inspected him there. He liked being seen. He liked his progress and strength documented by someone who’s opinion mattered to him. He liked the idea of Naruto feeling his strength and wanting to check where in Sasuke’s body it came from.

“Hn. I’m taller than you too,” he added, just be incendiary. 

“No, you’re not.” The alpha’s eyes predictably flashed. No alpha could want to hear that. Sasuke didn’t need to repeat. He just smirked at his mate. Naruto’s face fell. “No way!”

“Yes, I am,” Sasuke replied, and they both stood. Naruto scowled, pulling on Sasuke’s shoulders to bring him slightly lower. “I’m not stretching, fool.”

“That’s just your stupid hair,” the alpha growled, in visible denial about having to look slightly up into Sasuke’s eyes. 

“My hair is stupid?” Sasuke scoffed. “What kind of color is that anyway?” He yanked at his mate’s hair, and his heart quivered when the alpha snarled at him. He almost worried he’d gone too far, but he was after a display of strength he could feel. If it seemed he couldn’t hold up, he’d just go limp and beg forgiveness. He had no shame about it.

“Lots of people have this color,” Naruto snapped. 

“Lots of idiots,” Sasuke purred, his fingers still twisted in that admittedly lustrous yellow hair. 

“Now you’re just being rude,” Naruto asserted, his voice going low and impatient. The alpha advanced, and wanting to feel his mate’s true strength or not, Sasuke instinctively backed up until his shoulders hit the paper. He rested against it lightly, reassessed. Should he do this? Was this about a comparison of power? Or was there another reason?

“So?” He asked, making direct eye contact the deliver his next insult. “I said-”

His balance sense screamed in protest, and by the time he’d reoriented himself, he was viciously pinned under the alpha. His body burned with the stress the position had him in. “I win.” And there hadn’t been a chance for Sasuke there. He cursed himself for not having his eyes on. Maybe he would have been able to see it then. “No matter how much muscles you get, I’m still better,” Naruto teased. Sasuke felt each of Naruto’s fingers readjust on his wrists and his shoulder, taking a more solid, more crushing hold on him. 

“Now what, huh?” Naruto asked. Sasuke thrashed ineffectively. He let his lightning loose, uncaring of the wooden floor. His eyes blazed, but Naruto’s hand came down hard on his ass, rattling Sasuke’s body, bones, and flesh alike. It shocked him out of it, and Sasuke lay there, trying not to quiver as everything from his belly to his knees lit up with the hunger for sensation. “No-” his alpha admonished, smacking him again. “fire in our house!” Sasuke hissed, snapping his teeth at the alpha as he leaned forward to speak. Naruto sighed, dodging Sasuke’s bite and gentling him with kisses to the back of his neck. “I already told you, so don’t get mad that you got punished.”

“Fuck you,” Sasuke hissed. His receptive sex pulsed. Was this how his body would react to the force of every alpha? Could he be strong, but just by being an omega be made this weak? Or was it lucky, and there was just one alpha he would never be able to beat? One person, who would always have him weak and trembling and spreading his legs like he was just a mewling, newly presented thing? Sasuke kicked out once more in frustration. It did nothing: At first, Naruto’s weight shifted up because even if he was all muscle, he wasn’t so heavy Sasuke couldn’t force him up, but the alpha knew where to bear down on Sasuke to make him buckle, and when his solid mass came down on Sasuke again the omega had to resist the urge to mewl as the impact against the ground shook him.

“Come on, give,” Naruto teased. Sasuke shook his head, trying to take deep breaths with his forehead against the wood-paneled floor. His eyes stung with frustration, and he hated it. He didn’t hate Naruto or belonging to him… if he had to be someone’s, but he could imagine with clarity a world without omega or alpha, where he could be completely free. “What’s wrong?” Naruto asked, nosing him lightly because even unshed tears had a scent.

“Fuck,” Sasuke choked, feeling himself be released, and Naruto rolled him over to push his hands away from his face and generally be too close and too doting. “It’s not fair,” he heard himself lament.

“You probably won't have to fight someone as strong as me,” Naruto soothed, stroking Sasuke’s cheeks with his thumbs as he knelt over the omega. “You’re definitely really strong for an omega. You’ll be a great warrior when you’re ready.” Naruto watched him carefully, seeming worried when his words didn’t seem to cheer Sasuke at all.

“For an omega...” Sasuke repeated, with all the venom that deserved. He took a deep breath, and though he couldn’t smooth out his scowl, his voice didn’t waver, and his eyes stopped pricking. “It’s only the people strong as you that concern me.”

“You don’t want to be one of us.” Naruto shook his head, but his expression was gentle with understanding. “A power like this can steal your life. As long as I’m alive, you don’t need to be scared.” Sasuke scoffed, turning aside. “I’ll die before you get hurt,” Naruto promised with impossible sincerity. But he did mean it.

And something made Sasuke leave himself open and accept it. No matter how strong he could be, he did want his alpha to defend him. Hearing the alpha wanted to defend him unto death clicked his thoughts from worrying about protecting himself to knowing his alpha would handle it and pleasure at having such a powerful mate. His body was vibrating with warmth. It was spreading out from his core, and he knew it was the fever creeping upon him. “You swear?” He asked, meeting his mate’s deep blue eyes cautiously.

“Didn’t I fight my sire?” Naruto asked, and a slight possessive rumble entered his voice. Sasuke hesitated to nod, even though he knew it was true. “I’ll swear as many times as you need me to, but I think you know the answer.”

“Then make sure you take good care of me...” Sasuke sighed, relenting to what his body had decided it wanted and showed with the fever climbing from his center into every extremity of his body. “My... alpha,” he murmured, slowly leaning up and kissing the underside of Naruto’s jaw.

“Fuck,” Naruto growled, his dominant scent intensifying in response to Sasuke’s growing cloud of heat, his submissive touch, and his words. “Say it again.” Sasuke wasn’t entirely sure what was happening to his thoughts. It was like when heat had changed them, but instead of feeling desperate to be knotted, he wanted to trust and be held. He didn’t understand, but it felt good, and he was tired of being afraid.

And it seemed it would lead to them mating again anyway. “Naruto,” Sasuke sighed, feeling the radiating heat from his mate’s knot against him. he shivered, sensing how it became hard, how it filled gradually with every brush of Sasuke’s lips against his mate’s jaw. “My alpha,” he purred, his eyes fluttering. The next part slipped from him. “My love.” Sasuke’s body stiffened as he heard his admittance. He wanted to take it back, but Naruto was entering him, and all that managed to leave his mouth was a deep purring overlaid by a desperate moan.

“You’re acting so sweet now. Are you in fever?” Naruto asked, thrusting. The sound of Sasuke’s slickness filled the air, answering the question without Sasuke needing to. The omega flushed. His body was much too honest, and lately, his mouth was taking liberties too. Naruto kissed him, and Sasuke gripped the alpha’s shoulders for an anchor as the world fell away around him. “You smell so tempting,” his alpha praised, as his hips surged forward and made the omega take everything. His body quivered and twitched against his mate’s as the alpha rested deep inside Sasuke, his thick, heavy knot throbbing promisingly against Sasuke’s slit as they kissed, and Naruto whispered filthy things into his ear. “I just want to breed you when you smell like this.”

“Yes,” Sasuke breathed, showing his mark and nearly crying out when Naruto kissed him there. “Keep doing it to me,” he spoke, his voice trembling and turning into a strangled wail as his alpha bit down. With his jaws still locked on Sasuke’s throat, Naruto thrust, and the omega arched, his voice rising out loud and clear despite himself. He could hear the wet slap of flesh against his own and the knot battering his slit. He was giving slowly, opening for it. 

“You’re so beautiful when I fuck you,” Naruto praised, licking Sasuke’s mark, then moving to kiss him again. Sasuke’s eyes fluttered shut. He was overstimulated and could do without sight. Naruto kept up his slow, forceful thrusts, and Sasuke released a desperate noise on each impact, his lips moving wetly against his mate’s mouth, and his cheek, and jaw, and whatever was close enough. “And when I tie you,” 

Sasuke shivered as the angle changed slightly, and something very sensitive was put in the path of his alpha’s insistent hardness. His thighs quivered outside Naruto’s hips, and he tried to shift- get away from the pleasure so he could last- so he could survive, but Naruto held him in place without even seeming to notice it. “And when I pull it out and my come-“ he didn’t hear the rest. Sasuke’s spine lit up as he came hard, his body quivering weakly, surrendering entirely to his mate. His body released a gush of slick, and it was enough for Naruto’s weight to push his knot in.

Sasuke gasped, his body launching into spasms as his release was enhanced and lengthened by the sensation of his mate tying. Sasuke whimpered, holding onto his alpha for dear life.

“Sasuke, you got tighter,” the alpha murmured, still plying Sasuke with kiss after kiss. “Are you squeezing me to make me feel good?” Sasuke shook his head, flushing red and heat high into his cheeks. He was clenching, but it was involuntary, just his body expressing its excitement. Naruto laughed, and their lips locked again, and this time the kiss seemed to swallow Sasuke as sure as he was swallowing Naruto’s knot deep into himself. “You love me for real?” Naruto asked breathlessly, nosing at him.

“I can’t breathe,” Sasuke gasped. “Naruto.”

The alpha moved his weight off Sasuke, but he still stayed close, and Sasuke had no escape. “Answer, please,” the blond alpha begged, nipping Sasuke’s mouth with his teeth as if he could drag the words out just by trying. “Tell me.” It had a hint of a growl, and with a shudder, Sasuke feels the answer pressed into the air trying to escape his lungs.

“Y-yes,” Sasuke breathed, still shaking from coming. Naruto licked his mark in approval, and the hot, moist sensation on Sasuke’s throat made him writhe. “I already told you I was yours.” 

“That’s not the same,” Naruto complained.

“I’m not going to repeat myself,” he snapped. He’d already said it twice. If the alpha hadn’t heard, it was his own business.

“You’re so difficult,” Naruto sighed fondly. He wrapped his arms around Sasuke as they settled together for the duration of their binding. “Knotting while you’re coming feels great,” Naruto admitted, nuzzling Sasuke affectionately. “You’re all fluttery.”

“Stop saying such embarrassing nonsense.” Sasuke felt snippy, and with the alpha pulsing and hot inside him, wearing him like a second skin, he felt he was sharing enough. “You wanna fight again?”

“You’d have a hell of a time with us like this,” Naruto teased, stroking Sasuke’s bent leg. Sasuke watched Naruto catch black flames in his crimson glowing palm and snuff it out in his fist. Sasuke hadn’t really remembered calling fire, but it came easily, and he’d barely felt the draw at all. “No fire!” Naruto growled, pushing Sasuke’s leg across his lap to expose the swell of his ass and delivering a stinging slap to the omega’s skin. “I will spank you again, you little brat,” he threatened.

“Stop telling me what to do,” Sasuke complained. Naruto’s pushing on his leg squeezed the knot inside him, so he wiggled and mewled, and Naruto took pity and handled him back into his previous, more comfortable position. Sasuke offered him kisses as a reward, or perhaps an apology, stroking the soft blond hair at his mate’s nape as he drew him closer.

“Or what?” Naruto asked, licking Sasuke’s mouth.

“You’re way too strong,”

“You’d be the death of a weaker alpha,” Naruto decided, and Sasuke thought quite correctly. At least… he hoped so. Naruto himself was only there on Sasuke’s whim, as well. “And you lose to me because you want to. We’re lovers. We shouldn’t fight all out.”

The alpha thrust and the mass of his mate’s tied knot slid in his belly. “Moving it-” Sasuke gasped.

“I know,” Naruto groaned, his lashes fluttering in pleasure. “But it feels good, doesn’t it?” He kept thrusting, and Sasuke’s eyes crossed as his walls were pushed and pulled on by the thick bulb of it. He gritted his teeth, his nails scratching into Naruto’s back as the raw sensation of it morphed into this sweet, slick, overfilled aching. “Hey Sasuke, look at this-” Naruto breathed, and Sasuke could feel him throb. 

He looked, and Naruto was pressing into the skin of Sasuke’s tummy with his thumbs and between them, low on Sasuke’s navel- he would see the mass of his alpha’s knot- shifting inside him, slowly back and forth- in time with the sensations that were threatening to drive the young omega mad. “If I move while we’re knotted, you can see-” Naruto breathed, his blue eyes dark with lust.

“Oh,” Sasuke moaned, his toes curling and a shuddering working its way to his hips, all the way from his toes. “It’s too much,” he panted, tasting the sweat on his mate’s neck as he struggled to exert himself despite the secureness of their tie.

“You can take it,” Naruto promised, his voice a low, pleasured growl. Sasuke didn’t answer, and that made the alpha pause. He tipped Sasuke’s chin up and looked at him. Sasuke quivered. He’d stopped moving- and apparently, the omega’s body had decided that was a crime, as much as it seemed to be unsure of what to do when the movement was happening. “Right?” Sasuke nodded intently, pushing into the contact as much as he could. “Good bitch,” his alpha praised, returning to slowly and sensually licking Sasuke’s mouth. Sasuke shivered, parting his lips and letting the alpha taste him. “That’s it,” Naruto approved, the deep growl vibrating their join. Sasuke stifled his sounds of pleasure in his arm, but Naruto pinned his hands above his head. “You feel good,” the alpha told him. “Let your voice out.”

His arms were pinned above him. Between that and being knotted, he couldn’t move at all. But Naruto was moving, and he felt the stretch of the knot sliding around inside him. He whimpered, then broke into a weak cry as Naruto moved more deeply. He started to moan and cry out, shaking as his mate picked up speed. It was too much- the pleasure was too great. His hips left his control, and he felt like they were rattling against the floor as he came.

“Naruto!” Sasuke cried. Sparks showered everywhere. He felt the alpha’s whole body lock, and then release, completely limp onto him. “It slipped,” Sasuke apologized, patting his mate’s cheek to help him regain consciousness. “I’m sorry,” he apologized quickly. He hadn’t shocked Naruto without meaning to in a long time and like that... never?

“I’m okay, gorgeous,” Naruto decided, from Sasuke’s shoulder. He couldn’t sit up yet. Sasuke brushed his hair back, and the alpha sighed in pleasure at being pet. “That’s really bracing, though,” he admitted. He tried to support his weight on his arms, but they shook so much that he just collapsed onto Sasuke again. The omega’s lightning had never had that effect before. “Wow, are you sure I didn’t piss you off? That was the worst I ever got.” Naruto was laughing, but that confirmation of Sasuke’s thoughts set the omega’s mind turning. What was the meaning of this sudden power? Was his physical training going that well?

“Idiot,” Sasuke sighed. He couldn’t get mad since he’d been the one to shock the alpha-like this. “Just lay with me till it goes away,” he ordered, moving his legs around the alpha so he would stop trying to get up. When their tie loosened, Sasuke slipped out from under his alpha and rolled him onto his back. The alpha’s limbs still trembled from shock, so Sasuke felt a little bad, which informed his actions.

“Oh fuck-” Naruto gasped, his palms curling up against the floor as Sasuke’s mouth closed around his half-hard knot. Naruto bit his lip, and his abdominal muscles all clenched up in stark relief. Sasuke let the head pop from between his lips, then leaned down to lick a smear of the alpha’s thick seed off the shaft. “Your mouth,” Naruto, his expression morphing into absolute bliss as his impressive length dipped into the back of Sasuke’s throat. “Mmmm-” Naruto groaned.

Sasuke listened to the alpha, felt Naruto’s fingers pulling on his hair, and through these expressions of pleasure, learned what his mate liked. Soon, he has the alpha gasping and trembling. He stroked the head with his tongue, keeping up the wet friction that his mate seemed to enjoy. For a moment, the alpha seemed to lose control and pushed Sasuke’s head down, forcing his thickness down the omega’s throat. Sasuke shuddered, choking. 

He could feel his own hardness twitch against his stomach as the alpha’s cock throbbed with nearness, cutting off his air. He felt the alpha’s strength, and his senses were filled with Naruto’s powerful scent and taste. Sasuke closed his eyes, allowing the alpha to thrust into his throat, to use him. It was easier when he wasn’t drunk, but it felt more enjoyable when he was. Interesting.

“Go on,” Sasuke allowed, smoothing his palms up the alpha’s chest, and Naruto exhaled softly, his eyes rolling back in pleasure as he tied. Sasuke leaned forwards to kiss his alpha, and Naruto’s hands seemed to be working well enough to spread warmly over the small of the omega’s back. Sasuke shivered with pleasure at the warm, stroking sensation.

“Hey,” Naruto asked.

“Hm?”

Naruto tilted his head sideways, seeming to be thinking something over. “You were going through a lot earlier,” he assessed, too correctly for Sasuke’s liking. Sasuke wondered if Naruto would embarrass Sasuke by pointing out the root of his fears, but the alpha just grinned and added. “I guess your abilities are tied to your feelings.” That was another possibility to consider, but for Sasuke, it didn’t seem quite right either.

“I’ll be more careful,” Sasuke promised, seeing for the first time the bubbling burn marks on Naruto’s palm. Along with taking Sasuke’s lightning, he’d also grasped the black flames twice, so the alpha was probably suffering a good amount. “That must hurt,” Sasuke apologized, tracing the alpha’s palm with his fingertips. Naruto winced lightly, nodding. His hand closed, finger’s curling inward from the pain.

“I’ll heal by tomorrow,” Naruto soothed, hiding his palm. “Don’t worry,” he soothed when Sasuke looked at Naruto with an expression that could be interpreted as concerned. “I’d never get mad at you for doing it by accident.”

“I already got spanked twice,” Sasuke accused. “Are you going to make it up to me?”

Naruto laughed. “I don’t know, Sasuke, you were giving me a mean look those times. Are you sure you didn’t mean to burn me?”

“Hmm,” Sasuke mused.

“Don’t think about it!” Naruto laughed, pulling Sasuke closer. “Kiss,” he begged, pressing his lips all over the bits of Sasuke he could reach until the omega leaned down and gave the alpha his mouth. They both gasped as Naruto’s knot pulsed as another spurt of seed flooded Sasuke’s body.

“If we keep going like this-” Naruto murmured against Sasuke’s lips. “You’ll be pregnant by the time we visit the Uchiha.”

“Maybe,” Sasuke replied. “They would hate that.” Naruto laughed, loving Sasuke even at his most spiteful. Sasuke smirked at his mate and rubbed his thumb over the alpha’s soft lips, pulling them apart to see sharp canines. 

The alpha mirrored one of Sasuke’s gestures, nipping Sasuke’s thumb and then soothing it with his mouth. It made his heart do a little quiver to see it. He hadn't lied before- he felt a strong well of affection for his alpha. Sasuke was Naruto’s. To be honest, the omega was counting the days to the new moon, when he would either know or be ready to try again. He looked forward to it either way. “But even if I were, I would never tell them.”

“Oh?” Naruto asked curiously. “Even for spite?”

Sasuke shook his head. He was entire miles of spite above what Naruto was talking about. “It would be ours, not theirs. The Uchiha decided they didn’t want me. They hate you. Why should they be allowed to know?”

Naruto grinned up at him, shaking his head. “I guess I get it.”

XXX

“And with your completion of the ritual, your loyalty to us should be sealed.” 

“Thus, this is a formality, but we will have a celebratory banquet, where will we discuss what is needed,” Sasuke’s father, Fugaku Uchiha, told Naruto. “I trust you’ll be able to keep your omega in check, not only during these events but also in your stay on the battlefield.”

“We never agreed to commit to any ritual,” Naruto replied, shaking his head. “Forgive us if we leave without completing it.” Based on what he understood, the Leaf had withdrawn from the conflict (in some small part because of Naruto begging Tsunade and Jiraiya to stop their campaign). Still, the Hyuuga were unwilling to let go, which explained why they’d been so eager to initiate him recently. This also explained the sudden letter from the Uchiha. If they wanted to keep fighting, he didn’t see any reason to be involved. “I didn’t come here to agree to fight the Hyuuga in a baseless clan conflict. I came to see if the relationship between Sasuke and his family could be mended.”

“Our conflict with them is not baseless,” Fugaku growled. Naruto’s teeth were set on edge from the aggression in the man's tone. He didn’t growl in return, but it was a close thing. This alpha acted like he wanted to fight, and even if Naruto wanted to do his best and be polite, he wouldn’t’ stand to be disrespected. The Uchiha seemed to marshal himself and then smirked. It was a slimy expression that had Naruto even more on edge than before. “And, you’ve already completed the ritual.” 

“When?” Naruto demanded.

“The last time you were here.” Had what they’d done truly counted? He bit his lip, chancing a look at Sasuke. The omega was… pissed. “And as it occurred before your visit to the Hyuuga, their claim certainly does not supersede ours.” Naruto blinked at them, shocked. So they knew he was close with the Hyuuga and still expected him to agree to this. They seemed happy to catch him off guard. “Yes, we knew about that. News about people like you travels fast.”

“And the ending?” Naruto pressed. “Where your property was damaged, and Kisame was killed.”

“We choose to overlook it.”

“I’m sure you do,” Sasuke mumbled under his breath. Only Naruto’s superior hearing allowed him to pick up his mate’s hiss of displeasure. He stroked his thumb over the omega’s waist comfortingly. Sasuke relaxed in a way that Naruto could feel under his palm, but it didn’t shift his hostile appearance.

“Would you dishonor us by choosing your second over your first?” Sasuke’s mother, Mikoto, asked. “Both legally and...” She looked pointedly at Naruto’s possessively placed hand. “physically, our omega takes precedence for conflicting loyalties, based on any tribal law you could cite.”

“Had time to figure out who he is, and now you want him?” Sasuke snapped, his temper finally boiling over. Naruto was honestly surprised it had taken the omega this long. “Fuck you.”

“Disloyal child,” Fugaku scolded, slamming his fist into a nearby wooden beam. Now Naruto knew where Sasuke got that from. They both took out their anger physically. “Must I ask you not to speak over adults?”

“I was born the same year as this buffoon. But because he’s an alpha, he’s an adult?”

“Ouch,” Naruto winced, playfully, squeezing his mate closer to him. He was trying to keep things light. The way this was going, they needed to figure out an exit sooner rather than later.

“Shut up,” Sasuke hissed, without looking at Naruto. His eyes were red, and that was a bad sign. For now, it was three points, but once the red eyes had shown themselves, a thing could escalate quickly. Especially since recently, Sasuke had seemed to have more power behind his visual prowess.

“You must treat him much too kindly if he dares speak this way to you,” Fugaku growled, grabbing his youngest by the collar. He raised his hand to strike. “I will show you how to discipline an omega.” Naruto was offended that people kept thinking he didn’t know how to keep his mates from misbehaving. It was just so rare that either of his omega did something he truly thought needed to be punished.

Sasuke exploded with sparks. Naruto braced himself, but Sasuke’s sparks had spared him, erupting only on the area Fugaku had decided to touch. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Fugaku crumple to the floor. “Don’t dare touch me.” Sasuke turned to his mother, trembling before him, her hand covering her mouth as she stared at her unconscious husband in shock. “You-” Sasuke pointed at her, her voice full of menace. Naruto saw the geometric shapes take form in his mate’s eyes and rightfully started to panic, just a little. “Where is Itachi?”

“After Kisame died, Itachi weakened. In his worst state, we believe he had lost part of his sanity due to your betrayal. He believed it impossible you could do such a thing. He claimed he would go and look for you.” Naruto saw how that struck Sasuke. “We forbade it, but for some reason, he was desperate to save a runaway like you. He stole away one night and never returned.” Mikoto slid to her knees, sobbing,

“No,” Sasuke breathed, taking a step back, his body pressing into Naruto’s. He shook his head in disbelief. Grief and confusion suffused themselves through his scent, bleeding into a cloud around him. “Not Itachi, it’s not possible.”

“He died because of you,” Mikoto confirmed, tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks. It was real sadness. Naruto could scent that her tears weren’t faked. Was Itachi dead? “The least you can do is advise your alpha to serve us!” It was back to that again. Naruto didn’t want to sigh out loud, but it was like the two Uchiha clan leaders didn’t have an emotion without trying to find a use for it. “Return and take Itachi’s place-” she demanded. “If this alpha fights for us, we will overlook your multitude of indiscretions and let you be a part of this clan again.”

“And what will you give him in return for this service,” Sasuke asked. Naruto wanted to say he should negotiate for himself, but the wicked look in Sasuke’s eyes told him they wouldn’t be accepted anyway. This must be a test, and one Sasuke expected his parents to fail.

“It's enough that he possesses you, isn’t it?” Mikoto asked, throwing her hands up in frustration.

“I’m not some precious item to be traded. Who I’ve given myself to is none of your concern.”

Mikoto laughed bitterly, wiping her cheeks. “Surely you are no gem, but trade can still be settled with more mundane objects. Otherwise, you will remain nameless, as we will strip the name of the Uchiha from you publicly. Then you’ll be truly worthless.”

“You dare to call me-” Sasuke hissed, his eyes positively flaming. There was a halo of red around his eyes. In another moment, things would get so ugly. Naruto jerked his mate’s arm, and the omega paused, turning. “Naruto,” he questioned, his brows drawing together.

“If Itachi isn’t here, let's leave,” Naruto whispered, jerking his head to the side. “They have nothing we want. This is a waste of time.”

Mikoto was shaking her head and helping Fugaku sit up. He couldn’t move, but he could still speak. “This is not a satisfactory end to the conversation. You won’t be leaving just like that.” Several Uchiha blocked their path, their hands on their swords, ready to draw. Naruto cursed mentally. He gestured at Hinata, and she moved closer to him, and he could scent her building and organizing her chakra for a fight. Good.

“Won’t I?” Sasuke asked. “What will you do?”

“If neither of you will be an Uchiha, then you are all three intruders,” Fugaku growled, real menace entering his voice. Naruto snarled his response. “If you are intruders, who will stop us from putting you to death?”

And with no further warning, Sasuke set the entire room on the building they were in on fire, igniting everything in his line of sight. It was clear he wasn’t thinking clearly. His scent was filled with some manic emotion. His brother might be dead, his parents were being themselves, and the omega was understandably sick of it. 

The alpha still feared what would happen if he didn’t get the situation under control. Not least of his worries was the fact that they were trapped in a virtually inextinguishable burning building. “That’s enough, Sasuke,” Naruto begged, grabbing his mate’s shoulders and shaking him. Sasuke's eyes cleared enough that Naruto felt he could stop shaking the omega. “Put it out,” he begged.

Sasuke's eyes were icy and black despite all the fire they’d made. “No.”

“Sasuke, please,” Naruto begged. “Please, love.” Sasuke scowled. Jerking away from him. “You’ll hurt yourself, and we need to move now.” Naruto took the omega back in his arms and turned him to face the worse of the flames. 

Sasuke shrugged loose of him again. “I can just open a path for us,” he breathed lowly, the geometric patterns rotated as he threw a look at Naruto over his shoulders. Naruto felt those red eyes scour over him, prickling his skin with heat. “Let's see if they have anyone to match my power.”

He was not ashamed to beg, not in a situation like this. He put both palms on his omega’s cheeks. Around him, the Uchiha were screaming, scrambling for escape. “Come on, baby, please. For my conscience, if you have to.” Sasuke sighed heavily, and his expression softened. Slowly the flames began to die down. “That’s it,” Naruto praised. “Now lean on me,” he requested. Sasuke leaned himself in Naruto’s arms, but his eyes were still dangerously empty. “Hinata, let’s go.”

Later, sitting by a small fire, he used water from the stream to clean the soot off himself, then his mate. The omega blinked hard as the cold water touched his face and neck, then took the cloth and started cleaning himself off. “Sasuke. How are you doing?” Naruto asked, kneeling in front of his mate. “You might be out of chakra.”

“I feel fine.” Sasuke sounded a little annoyed, but that was more balanced than he’d been before, for sure.

“Okay.” Naruto let himself relax. “Good.” He stroked Sasuke’s cheek, and the omega leaned into his palm. “Good.”

“I’m stronger now, remember?” Sasuke comforted him softly. “You don’t have to worry so much when I use power.”

“I’m worried for other reasons,” Naruto admitted. “I don’t like your face like that or the look in your eyes.” Sasuke shrugged. How could he be so loving to Naruto and then immediately so cold to his clan? They had hurt him, but carrying such an amount of hatred had to be painful. “What would it have done to you to kill your family?”

“They’re not my family. I’m without a name, now.” Naruto bit his lip. That much was true. If they kept their threat, Sasuke was now just... Sasuke. 

“You can be an Uzumaki.”

“I’d rather die,” the omega deadpanned. Naruto gasped theatrically, grabbing at his chest over his heart. They both broke down into laughter. “It’s fine,” Sasuke tried to reassure, but Naruto was worried. “If they took me back, it would only be to make you swear loyalty. I remember they made Kisame do the same. After bonding Itachi, he was obligated to fight for them.” Sasuke scowled. “You should have knotted me at home as I asked. Should it come to war, your reputation at this point-“

“You wanted to come here, not me-“ Naruto whined, tired of hearing clan this, reputation that. Naruto was better at doing what seemed right in the moment, and affiliations be damned, he couldn’t go against his morals. Sasuke gave him an impatient look, raising his dark brows. “Sorry. How many times do I have to apologize?” 

Sasuke sighed, standing up. “Only a few more times, and then whenever it comes up.” The omega seemed full of nervous energy. They shouldn’t leave. They didn’t know where they were going yet.

“Bitch,” Naruto snapped. He grabbed Sasuke’s robe and yanked the omega into his arms. “Sit down.” He arranged his mate in his lap, with the omega’s back to him. “Like this.” He stroked a hand over Sasuke’s hair and hugged him close. “Comfy?” He asked, only satisfied when Sasuke’s breathing and heartbeat started to slow down.

“Close enough,” Sasuke sighed. “What should we do?” He finally asked. “I thought Itachi would be here, but he’s not, so this trip is completely worthless.” Sasuke seemed to be completely rejecting the idea that Itachi could be dead. Mikoto hadn’t been lying, though.

It was clear to the alpha that current events had his omega feeling kind of unstable. He’d almost let his family home burn to the ground, and he’d already been slipping with his power before that. “We should probably retreat,” Naruto decided. Getting away and calming down would be best. Especially considering that both of them were open and could become pregnant at any time.

“And go where?” Hinata asked, scooting closer to lean against his side. She’d been staying quiet, almost invisible, most of the day. She probably felt she had little to say in these conflicts and didn’t feel the need to attract undue animosity to herself. A problem his first didn’t seem to worry about at all.

“Create as much distance as we can,” Naruto decided. Honestly, he’d had enough of clans as well. He wanted to go somewhere where he’d be able to live in peace and avoid all these petty rivalries. “Probably best if we don’t go back to Leaf just yet either.” It would be best to go somewhere where he was on home ground, and no one could make demands of him, which sounded suspiciously like what his sire was out in Whirlpool doing. Maybe… he could do that as well.

“Whirlpool?” Hinata asked, picking up on his meaning. She made a face, and Naruto had to agree. Whirlpool had only Kushina threaten them, but Kushina was... well, they all knew what Kushina meant.

Naruto nodded. “It’s our best option.”

“But she-” Sasuke argued, straightening against Naruto’s chest. Naruto rubbed his palm soothingly over his mate’s side. But the balance between Sasuke killing and Sasuke being afraid was hard to strike. Honestly, he wanted neither, but he didn’t have enough time to make it happen.

“I nearly killed her,” Naruto reminded them both. “She won’t be trying that again.”

Sasuke fidgeted. “You’re sure about that?” The omega’s hand traced the jagged mark on the inside of his leg. He’d bled heavily from there. Enough to leave a trail as he was dragged from the Uzumaki property. Naruto smoothed his palm over it, and Sasuke shivered.

“Yes. We even have another building on the property. We can be a distance from her.” He wanted to soothe his mate. “I’ll tell her not to go there unless she wants to fight to the death.” He kissed the side of Sasuke’s neck, and the omega both nodded, accepting his promise.

“I’ll burn her to death if she touches me,” Sasuke corrected. “You should warn her.” That violent look was back.

“Fire isn’t the answer to everything,” Naruto sighed.

“It’s been working well enough for him, hasn’t it?” Hinata asked. “I, for one, am pleased Sasuke has such a good weapon against that alpha.”

“My lightning is stronger now too. I felled Naruto for a whole hour,” Sasuke boasted proudly, even as he affectionately wiggled against the alpha.

“Splendid!” His second clapped with excitement for Sasuke’s improvements in power.

“Hinata-” Naruto complained. “Not you too.” If Sasuke couldn’t settle in Whirlpool, then they’d have to move on, but for now, it was a good starting point. Then maybe he’d be able to tell Sasuke that Mikoto had believed what she said about Itachi being dead. 

“I think we should stop in Leaf and get some things,” his second laughed, covering her mouth with her sleeve. Naruto growled over her just brushing him off. Did she feel invincible recently or something? “If we’re going to hide in Whirlpool, I want to bring a couple of items. And you should let your workers know.”

“True. They’ll be happy if I let them live in the house till we come back.” Many of them had told him about their cramped houses, and if he was going to be missing for a while, they should all get comfortable. Maybe they could winter in Whirlpool and let things settle. In spring, he could go back. After surviving winter, the two clans might not be so eager to fight, he hoped. That would ensure that it would be warm enough to go back to their homes safely when the servants had to leave.

They made the trek back. When they reached, it was dark, which suited them just fine. “What should I pack?” Hinata asked, hesitating in the doorway to their home.

“Everything you’ll need for a while. I’ll carry it,” Naruto promised. He nudged Sasuke. “You too.”

The omega shook his head. “I already got my bow and my short sword, and I’ll wear what you give me.”

Naruto nodded. “I have clothes there, so we can leave those things here. I just want weapons.” Sasuke followed him to the weapons room and helped him collect some armor and some weapons. Though Kushina had these things, they wouldn’t be fitted to him, and they wouldn’t be as natural for him to use. When it was life or death, the last thing one wanted to be doing was feeling awkward. “And food for the trip,” he remembered, setting his pack of armor and weapons by the door.

He collected that, informed the servants as Hinata had told him, and when he came back to the door, Hinata had two packs of things that she struggled to lift.  
  
“I can help with that,” Sasuke told Hinata, picking up half her things.

“Ooh, strong Sasuke to the rescue,” Hinata cheered.

“But can he keep it up?” Naruto asked, folding his arms.

The former Uchiha scoffed haughtily. “Of course, I can.” Naruto smiled and looked off the side.

And so they walked. It was a day's walk, lightly loaded, but as they were, it took a day and most of the night as well. They were only lucky that it didn’t rain, but the cold fall night air would have been quite brisk if they hadn’t warmed themselves up with exertion by then.

“Tired yet?” Naruto asked, seeing Sasuke stumble for the second time.

“Shut up.”

“Stamina, huh?” He knew. Strength was one thing, but to just keep going and going- you have to have done it before. This would be Sasuke’s first time. 

“… Yeah,” the omega admitted, eventually.

“Let a clone carry it,” Naruto offered.

“No-” the omega argued. “I need to-,” he broke off, his voice dying into a pant of exertion.

Naruto laughed, rolling his eyes. “You’re so stubborn. Then let’s take a rest. I’m parched.” He set his things down and plopped down onto a rock. Sasuke didn’t know the way, so he had no choice but to stop and sit as well, right? Hinata gratefully took a break, taking a moment to enjoy water and snacks, which she passed around to her first and her alpha, too.

Eventually, they got up and kept going, not wanting to sleep out in the wilderness. Forest became marsh, and marsh became wet sand, and then sand became silty mud, and they were on Naruto’s sire’s property. “Ah, we’re here,” he announced when the smell was just right.

“So that’s where your sire lives,” Sasuke vocalized, pointing. His eyes turned red as he searched the horizon. “Where’s the separate building?”

“It’s a bit hidden,” Naruto admitted, sniffing the air for the scent of old wood. It was quite a ways down the beach, and he began walking. “And a little aged.” It was nested in a little cove on the beach of his mom’s property, surrounded by rock on all sides but one. You could still see Kushina’s house from it, and a large sandy courtyard paved with white tiles spanned the distance between the two.

“And dusty,” Sasuke commented, as they stepped in. The wooden floors were gritty with sand under their feet. The house creaked softly in the wind. Nothing was wrong with it like it was about to come down, but it was old enough to feel a little shabby when compared to Kushina’s pretty beach-side mansion.

Naruto shrugged. “Well, it's less used. That makes it safer right?” He wrinkled his nose at Sasuke and teased. “Don’t be spoiled.” The omega scoffed.

“You can help me clean up tomorrow,” Hinata chirped. “It’s too much to tackle today, but with a good clean, this place will be so cozy.” Naruto grinned at Hinata. She understood. Naruto had lived here for summers when he was younger. He had done whatever he pleased, knowing that on his sire’s land, he could do no wrong. He wanted them to feel that sense of comfort too.

“If I must,” Sasuke sighed. Naruto hoped his first would come around to the place. He couldn’t stand it if the omega were really unhappy.

Hinata sparkled with happiness. Naruto wanted to ask what had her so playful lately. What could she be so happy about? “You don’t have to, but it will be dirty longer,” she giggled.

“Stop making sense,” Sasuke complained. “Let’s at least brush off the floor in one room to sleep.” They found an old shitty broom, and Sasuke did that quickly while the other two explored the building to take inventory of what they had. Naruto checked all the doors and windows and found that they sealed well. 

The sand had taken years to slip into here, but they didn’t need to worry about a wind causing it to become sandy overnight. That was quite a relief. His sire had maintained it at least this much. There were sandy pots and pans that Naruto washed in the ocean before hanging them back up. He found some sleeping things in a room, but they were all eaten up by moths.

Hinata came up beside him and fingered the bed things appraisingly. She gave him a look that said she’d use them… if she had to. He shook his head, letting them fall. He didn’t want to sleep on them unless he had to, either. “Let's go say hello to my sire so she knows we’re here, and then we can take some clean mattresses and things to sleep on, yeah?”

“Ok,” his second chirped, wrapping her fingers around his arm and leaning up to kiss him. He provided gladly. Her scent was so appealing lately, and so was Sasuke’s. They’d been running up and down the countryside lately. He couldn’t wait to relax and rest. They could escape expectations and just be together. “I found enough furniture to use. It just needs cleaning, so we don’t need that.”

The only thing was Kushina. He had to be extra careful around her. Her energy was so chaotic, and she had almost killed his first, just trying to play a dangerous game with him. “Stay close to me,” he urged his omega seriously.

“Mm,” she promised, accepting another kiss. He had to keep them safe.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kushina is nice to them? Naruto is baby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are all here for a certain thing, I assume, but just in case, Naruto gets treated pretty roughly in this one (second half). *Definitely* dubious consent.
> 
> Remember Naruto's initial reaction to Itachi in the anime? D:
> 
> There's like five seconds of victim-blaming before his mates realize what happened, but he'll be okay.

“Sire,” Naruto called as the three of them entered the main hall. “Are you home?” Both omega clustered close to him, and Sasuke worried that his grip on the alpha’s shoulder betrayed his fear. But what could he do? Looking at her honestly made him want to shake like a child. 

Compared to Kushina, he was a weakling, and if he was honest, Naruto had probably won that fight by force of will. There was a difference between them Sasuke’s Sharingan could see, and it made him nervous. Realizing his eyes being on would also betray fear, he consciously slowed his heartbeat till it faded.

Luckily it seemed she hadn’t seen yet. “Naruto, my dear son,” the alpha woman greeted slowly, sitting up from a pile of cushions. She had a small saucer of liquor between her fingers. “Are you back to rub sand in my wounds.”

“You healed already,” Naruto growled at her.

“That’s true,” she barked. “Sand healed into my wounds, you little shit.” Naruto crossed the room, and they followed. Their alpha knelt across the table from Kushina, and Sasuke followed suit, keeping his side pressed against Naruto’s, so he felt safer.

“You tried to fuck my first. I don’t know what you thought would happen,” Naruto growled.

“You didn’t fully claim your mates. What did you think would happen?” Her eyes met Sasuke’s, and he froze. She gave him a long, appraising look, and Sasuke’s grip on his alpha became tighter. He was lucky that the folds of Naruto’s robes hid it.

“Fuck you,” Naruto snapped.

“Fuck you,” She growled in return. “Why are you back?” She sniffed, taking in their collective scent, and her mouth broke into a toothy grin. “You’re running from something,” she guessed, completely rightly.

“The Hyuuga and Uchiha clans,” Naruto sighed, taking the saucer from her and draining it himself. Then he set it down out of her reach. She gave him a look but didn’t seem to think the fight was worth it and pushed a large red cushion behind herself, stretching out her body. Her red hair glowed like flames in the firelight. Sasuke thought he saw it moving. “They’re opposing each other and both demanding my loyalty.”

“If you were head of this clan, you could refuse,” she told Naruto, producing another bottle from somewhere in her pile and popping it open. “Clan leaders like myself are allowed to fulfill obligations on their own terms and don’t get summoned around like little foot-soldiers.” Naruto opened his mouth, probably to ask where she was going with it, but Sasuke was already picking it up. “And I suppose you’ve defeated me in a battle.”

“I should become clan head right now?” Naruto asked, blinking in disbelief. “And you?”

Kushina shrugged. “I’ll become a warrior in your place. I’ve been meaning to go hunting for an omega, but I’ve been minding this property.” Sasuke was pleased about that. Maybe she would leave them to this house, and they could live here and not have to worry about her. The smaller house was passable, but he had become a little bit spoiled during his time on Naruto’s nice big property if Sasuke had to admit it. He didn’t need servants, but he knew he’d miss the big bath and the stacked pantry. During his heats, he’d liked having lots of rooms to choose from and hide in. As for his heats, though…

“Or you can wait for me to tell you what to do,” Naruto growled softly. He wanted to be assertive, but it seemed he realized that with Kushina, even if he had won once, it would be dangerous to overstep. “If I’m really clan head.”

“That’s no fun,” Kushina sighed. “But fine... for now,” she agreed. Sasuke agreed that tactically it was better if she stayed around long enough for Naruto to decide on future action, but her bounding off into the night would have been a weight off him.

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. “Perfect.” Kushina inclined her head, then took another long drink. “I want to keep my omega at the other house.” He added. “You’re forbidden to go there when I’m not around.”

Kushina half-snorted into her drink. “Yes. Anything else, my lord?” The alpha asked, rolling her eyes.

“Can we have something to eat and sleep on?” Hinata piped up softly, bowing respectfully as she asked. “And Naruto’s clothes that he has here. The two of them didn’t bring those things.”

Kushina nodded. “Sure,” she clapped her hands. A sleepy-looking beta boy came and knelt by the table to take her order. “See to it, please,” she told him. “Give my son some nice clothes in our colors, and his birthday presents.”

“When’s your birthday?” Sasuke asked, blinking in surprise. His birthday had passed in the summer, and he’d spent it in the woods, running from his family.

“This month, actually. I forgot.” Naruto admitted, grinning sheepishly. “Winter things again?” Naruto groaned when the chest was placed in front of him. Sasuke scoffed. And he thought Sasuke was spoiled. “I told you it's not that cold in Leaf.”

“You’re in Whirlpool now, so it turns out you need them,” Kushina countered. She gestured at the walls of the room. “Besides, your omega are not you. You’ll want to put hangings on the south side of that house, or the ocean winds will chill them to the bone come midwinter. You might even want to reseal the floor.” Sasuke was thankful for her, saying that Naruto sometimes forgot how different his body was from others.

“Ah, you’re right,” Naruto realized. The beta came back with a chest of clothes, and Sasuke opened those, wondering what kind of things Naruto had left here. “There was a mix of silks and fine, soft cotton. There were lots of deep reds, light blues, and silvers. There were smatterings of other colors too, even some orange, but a noticeable absence of yellow. Kushina had dressed Naruto in her colors when he’d lived there, and her choices were probably why the clothing was a bit finer than what Naruto had in Leaf, and a bit more ornamented.

“Go to bed, you,” Kushina told the beta, waving him off. “Send that tall girl to get their food. She’s been sleeping all day.”

“Yes,” the servant replied, bowing. “Thank you.” He scampered away, relief clear in his face. Sasuke understood. He wanted to leave too. The girl in question did bring food, yawning softly the whole time. They were all tired, and if they hadn’t been walking so far, and without notice, there was no way any of them would want to be awake. They ate quickly, just to fill their stomachs, and then Naruto’s sire sent them away.

“That was actually-” Sasuke remarked, carrying the chest of Naruto’s gifts. He trailed off. What should he call what that had been? Not pleasant, surely.

“Really kind of her, yeah,” Naruto agreed, musingly. “Wonder what she’s up to.”

“Perhaps she’s just willing to cooperate now,” Hinata added, shrugging. “And I wish to sleep. We can discuss more tomorrow.”

“Yeah, we’re all pretty tired, huh?” Naruto asked. He set down the chest of winter things in the little home, and Sasuke went digging through the gifts, purring as he rubbed his palm over some warm furs, wall hangings, and heavy blankets. A couple of clones had carried the mattress over, and they placed it in the swept room. Sasuke chose some things to cover the bed and threw himself into it.

“We’re lucky that fleeing worked out so well,” Hinata purred, following Sasuke under the covers.

“I feel like a child for doing that, though,” Naruto admitted.

“Maybe,” Sasuke partially agreed with both of them. It was a little cowardly. “But it was the right thing to do. Since we did that, you have time to make a decision.” Naruto seemed to be listening to him, so Sasuke hoped the alpha would think deeply and choose what was best for them. If not, he and Hinata would still be there to adjust the course of things.

They slept.

When Sasuke awoke, he got up and found himself alone in the bed. He wandered out of the darkened room and found Hinata wiping down the entrance area. “Sasuke-” She greeted, smiling at him. She’d opened all the windows except the bedroom to let him sleep, and light streamed in around her. Things seemed a lot brighter without the cover of trees, and he was a little dazzled. He could also see rivers of airborne dust flecks floating out. He covered his mouth with his sleeve, and Hinata handed him a cloth to tie over his face. “Will you help me clean, now?” She asked.

“Yeah,” he agreed reluctantly, binding the cloth over his mouth and taking a breath of dust-free air. “Naruto?”

“I sent him to get firewood and meat. I had a craving.”

“I can hunt too, so you know,” Sasuke reminded her.

Hinata laughed. “I know, but Naruto talks too much and tidies too slowly,” Sasuke smirked at her. Their mate’s household skills were varied. He was passable, but when near his mates, he usually only wanted to engage with them, not complete chores. “And he keeps touching me. It’s not unwanted. But it's not productive, either.”

“True.”

“Here.” She handed him another cloth, and that one was damp. They proceeded to wipe down every surface they could see. They pushed sand from every piece of furniture, wall, and door-frame onto the floor, with plans to sweep it all out in one go. Sasuke returned to the room they’d halfway cleaned the night before, planning to put away the mattress so he could do a better job of it, and found Hinata sitting on it, puffing out soft, winded breaths.

“You’ve been getting tired faster,” Sasuke commented, sitting down beside her on the floor. He didn’t want to get sand in their nice bed.

“Who me?” She asked, feigning confusion.

“Yes,” he pressed.

“Well...”

“Is there any news?” he asked, cutting straight to it.

“I don’t know until the moon turns half,” Hinata denied, giggling.

“Right now, it's crescent,” Sasuke remembered, thinking of the moon from the night before. Had he spent the entire new-moon walking around in the woods?

“Interesting,” Hinata teased, her eyes sparkling. “Any news?”

“Please, Hinata,” Sasuke putting his finger to his lips.

She nodded. “I understand, but do take care.”

“Of course.”

“Do you feel weaker?” She asked.

Sasuke stretched. Other than the missing of his heat, nothing at all felt unusual. He’d thought his condition would make him weaker, as the child would use his energy to grow, but maybe it was too soon. “No. I feel normal.”

“Good,” Hinata decided. She yawned. “I hope if that’s the source, then this tiredness is the limit of it. I do enjoy naps.”

“Then why don’t you go rest? I can finish this.” Sasuke took the cloth and helped her remove her sandy outer clothes and dust off her feet. She then burrowed herself into bed.

Her robe shifted as she lay there. Curious, he pushed aside the fabric to see her body. He was fascinated to see if she’d changed yet. His body showed nothing at all. Hinata, he saw, was soft like before, but her breasts seemed a tiny bit tighter, fuller. It would not be enough to tell she was carrying either unless one already knew to check and knew her previous appearance as well. Did that mean she’d conceived before him? No, that was impossible. “As a female, your body changes fast,” he commented softly.

She gave him one of her soft, serene smiles, pulling his hand to her hair and sliding her robe back shut. “Don’t delude yourself into seeing something invisible,” she teased. Sasuke nodded in understanding. After all, she planned to keep it for herself till the half-moon. Sasuke, who had been keeping it for himself even longer, understood and covered her with the blanket. He didn’t want to get too hopeful either, just in case. “Wake me up when you begin to feel hungry, and I will cook you something,” she mumbled, yawning again.

“I will.” Sasuke knelt by her side and stroked her hair until her breaths evened out. He was surprised with himself. Instead of being jealous, he only wished the best for her and the child he had a strong feeling was inside her. After all, it would be his own child’s younger sibling and his mate’s second heir.

He cleaned the room around her, pushing every bit of dust and sand he could find into the corner by the door. He found that all the wood still gleamed with quality and strength underneath. This house was well built, and he wondered who had made it.

Finished wiping down everything he could spot, Sasuke decided to look around. In the backroom, Sasuke found some of Naruto’s old things in an old chest and naturally decided to go through the whole thing. The first thing he found was clothing for a child. Orange, of course. It made him smirk to imagine Naruto so tiny. He held it by the shoulders to estimate the height someone wearing this might be. Based on the garment, he would have only reached Sasuke’s knees. Had Kushina lived here with him when he was little? It would explain how Naruto seemed to love this house.

Sasuke’s mind crafted an image of their own child, just the size to be wearing this, holding onto his leg and looking up at him with the demanding love of a child. He imagined small chubby cheeks, and a soft rosy mouth, and the soft, powdery scent of the little one. Would it be blond or dark hair? Blue or black eyes? Sasuke lightly touched his abdomen, wondering. Sasuke looked back at the child’s robe. Other than the size, it didn’t appeal to him. The color hurt his eyes. However the child looked when it was born, he surely wouldn’t be wearing that.

Sasuke set it to the side, folding it up. Even if he disliked it, it was probably one of Naruto’s precious items. He went back into the box, looking for more hints. He found some toys. One of them was a little spiral toy with a string that made a hypnotically spreading orange and ocean blue whirlpool when Sasuke wound it up and yanked the thread. He spent some time staring at it, sitting on the wooden floor in the room as he wound and released it several times. Eventually, he jerked back to attention. He got up and felt his knees wobble when he tried to walk.

Setting the toy aside, he made a mental note of its danger. There was another toy in the box, but it was broken, and Sasuke couldn’t tell what it was supposed to do. Sasuke was especially gentle with it, for fear of making it worse. He also found another few sets of clothing, these from close to Naruto’s current size. Lastly, a piece of rice paper, folded in half. Inside was a lock of soft, yellow hair. It didn’t make any sense for it to be Naruto’s, so it must be-

The door and the wooden floor creaked softly as Naruto entered. Sasuke quickly put everything back into the chest, put it back into the cabinet, and then pretended to be cleaning, even though he’d finished tidying this room up hours ago. “Hey, Sasuke!” The alpha greeted sunnily, finding him.

Sasuke gestured at the broom, stilling his beating heart as best as he could. The most important thing was not to be worried, or the alpha would sense it. And he wasn’t. Naruto wouldn’t do a damn thing to him. “Pick that up,” he instructed, pointing at the broom in the hallway.

“Okay,” the alpha agreed, doing so. He seemed to be in a great mood after hunting and collecting wood. “And sweep what?”

Sasuke gestured around generally. “We did all the walls, do the floors and take everything out,” Sasuke explained. Naruto swept up everything and pushed it outside. Sasuke hid the chest a little better and then entered the room for cooking and having meals, now that the real sleeping room was cleaned up.

“It looks really nice,” Naruto sighed, picking up his pile of firewood and hunted meat from outside the door and bringing it into the kitchen.

“Small compared to your usual place.” Sasuke followed Hinata into bed, his body aching slightly after spending the whole morning reaching and wiping everything, including the ceiling. Hinata’s warm weight beside Sasuke was making him truly drowsy. He snuggled closer, and she mumbled softly, scooting back against him.

“I don’t mind that at all,” Naruto replied with a shrug. “Mom said I should because of appearances, and it was nice to pay those people to do good work, but I really don’t need all that.” He smiled so bright that Sasuke felt bad for wanting to go back to the bigger house. This was clearly what the alpha was more comfortable with.

Sasuke wondered if the Uzumaki clan had always been wealthy, and Naruto was an exceptional case, or if he remembered a humbler time that Kushina had rightly advised him would appear as a weakness. There was a bit of evidence for that theory, and Sasuke was awaiting a good moment to investigate more. “This house is good to maintain on our own. We can hide well.”

Sasuke beckoned him over. He just felt the need to give his mate a little affection. “What is it?” Naruto asked, leaning closer. When Sasuke kissed the alpha, he moaned softly, his yellow lashes fluttering against his cheeks. “That’s nice.” Sasuke pushed off the alpha’s outer clothes and tried to get him into bed also. They should all take another sleep together. He didn’t feel fully rested after their journey. “Hold on-” Naruto chuckled, kissing Sasuke briefly. The omega huffed softly. “Hinata will get cold if I just hold you. Let’s start a fire for her.”

Naruto got the wood, and Sasuke, wanting to speed up the process, knelt beside the fireplace. “I can,” he offered, rubbing his arms and shivering. After being in bed, the air felt especially cool. It had been okay wearing his outer layers, but he’d stripped down to get in bed, so now he could feel it. It was good he’d closed the other windows already. “Open that,” Sasuke reminded, gesturing to the opening for the smoke. Dust came down in small motes as Naruto slid it open.

“Ohh, missed a spot,” the alpha teased.

“Quiet, fool,” Sasuke drawled. He spat onto the firewood, and it immediately began to glow with a small flame. To make sure it would spread, Sasuke pushed the little ember around and then put more logs on top. That done, he quickly rushed back to bed. “The fire will help clean the air.” Sasuke waited for the alpha with his palms outstretched.

“That’s true.” Naruto came, his hands sliding into Sasuke’s as he cuddled up to the two omega as well.

“Did you see any frost?” Sasuke asked. He didn’t know much about the weather by the ocean. He’d always lived pretty far inland.

“Afraid of the cold,” his alpha teased. Sasuke pressed his chilled feet against the alpha’s warmer skin, and the alpha howled playfully. “No, but we will soon. The next moon usually brings the first light ice. We call that Frost moon.” Sasuke shivered preemptively, pushing his way against Naruto’s warm chest. “Even though it cools sooner, this is a good place to winter. The ocean keeps the weather steady. Anyway, I want to show you the snowy beaches from when I was a kid.”

“Naruto,” Hinata mumbled, sitting up slightly. Naruto began to apologize, but she shook her head. “You didn’t wake me.” She shifted around. “Oh, a fire,” she sighed, pleased. “Mmm.” She moaned in pleasure, showing the dancing flame her hands and feet. “Bring me the cooking things.”

“Pretty Hinata,” Naruto laughed. Sasuke made a soft noise to express his loss as the alpha’s heat-generating body slipped away from him. “I’ll be right back.”

“Tea,” she called. “And yams and the rabbit meat.”

Naruto brought her those things and the cutlery to cook them with. “I’ll go around my sire’s tomorrow and steal more ingredients. Where should I put them?”

“Mm. In here.” Hinata decided, pointing to a wooden cabinet under where the pots and pans were hanging. “But first, reorganize the cooking supplies. It doesn’t look nice.”

“I told myself I’d spank you if you keep telling me what to do,” Naruto growled playfully, kneeling beside her. He sat with crossed legs and tugged her over his knee, then patted her ass as though he might spank her.

“No. Don’t do that,” Hinata complained half-heartedly, rolling sleepily over his lap. She snuggled against him, using him as a rest while she combined ingredients into the pot, and it instantly stopped looking like a punishment.

“You’re cute, all sleepy like this,” Naruto laughed, petting her gently. She raised herself on her palms and kissed him. “Hinata,” the alpha rumbled softly, pleased.

“Let me finish. Go wait in the bed with Sasuke.”

Sasuke began to purr when the alpha returned to his side. Naruto's hands immediately wandered beneath Sasuke’s thin cotton robe, but it wasn’t immediately sexual. His touch was gentle and familiar. It was pleasing but not in a way that made Sasuke burn. Rather, their touches spread warmth between them and made Sasuke’s approaching sleep comfortable and without worry.

“The meal is on its way,” Hinata announced softly, coming to curl against Sasuke’s other side. Before, he had always wanted to be on the outside, but that time, he didn’t mind lying between them. Even though it was day outside, they all three drifted into sleep, the smell of food wafting from over the fireplace.

They were safe there. Naruto would not have to risk his life, and the dangers from Sasuke’s past couldn’t find them. Even Kushina seemed to be playing along. Even despite the cold, Sasuke felt pretty lucky.

XXX

Naruto had been gathering things to seal up his house; he’d filled sticky silt earth into a big clay jar, and taken the last of the yellow fall straw from an open field and spread it out to dry. He would pack these into any gaps in the wood, sealing it to the outside air. Like Kushina had told him, he had already resealed the floor and reinforced the sealing. The walls were all that was left.

The young alpha knew the cottage could even become too warm when all the fires were going, but he didn’t want any sudden winds or chills to get at his mates. The way Sasuke had shivered in the previous weeks showed that his first needed to be kept well insulated. The omega had definitely seemed more comfortable with each improvement, even though temperatures outside were steadily dropping. He moved quickly, the frost moon was upon them, and Naruto wanted to get this done.

He saw a figure in the distance and paused in his work, narrowing his eyes so he could try and recognize a person at such a far distance. Naturally, his sense of smell worked first. “You’re Sasuke's brother.” Naruto realized, catching a whiff of him on the air. He approached because the Uchiha didn’t smell like killing intent.

Naruto had seen this omega a few times, usually in dangerous situations, so he had a stronger idea of his scent than his face. However, the alpha did remember that this omega looked similar to his first, other than being older. Up close, he really was just as gorgeous as Sasuke. He was pale, with hair the color of night, and had pretty dark lashes, and his eyes shone like black pearls. His neck was adorned with a choker made of polished dark red stones. Garnet beads, they must be. A fine but understated treasure.

“Uchiha Itachi,” the Uchiha acknowledged, introducing himself in a low, smooth voice, bowing slightly. “You’re Uzumaki Naruto.” He wore all black, as as he bowed, Naruto eyes were dragged down from his eyes, along the line of his neck by that flash of red, and under his collar, Naruto could catch the tantalizing hint of netting stretched over smooth looking skin. The alpha’s mouth went dry from that sudden peek of pale chest crisscrossed by dark webbing.

Though Sasuke and Itachi were equally beautiful, Itachi was visually inescapable in a way that Sasuke was not. Sasuke was gorgeous for sure, but Itachi demanded focus, dragging the eye towards him like a spiral to its center. Naruto wasn’t sure whether it was his looks, or his deep sensual voice as he spoke, or the air of imminent danger that surrounded him even though there was a total lack of malice. This omega was as naturally dangerous as he was attractive. The alpha felt a pang of guilt for even thinking it, especially knowing his first’s feelings on the matter... but he could do nothing about it.

He shook his head. He should not lust after his mate’s brother, and if Itachi stuck around, he would have to stay vigilant. “What are you doing here?” Naruto asked, hopeful that the Uchiha was here to comfort his brother and would be able to clarify some of Sasuke’s more volatile moods. 

Naruto supposed Sasuke wasn’t any more emotional than usual, just stronger, and thus each of his moods held more danger. He had known before training Sasuke that it would make his first more of a risk factor, but Naruto still couldn’t choose to make Sasuke unhappy. Naruto quickly bowed to the older omega, realizing he’d been distracted and forgotten to do so. “Are you here to-”

“Looking for a new mate,” Itachi interrupted, putting his hand on Naruto’s face, inspecting him in nearly the same way he could remember Sasuke doing. The difference was in confidence. Sasuke had been nervous, comparatively. The omega seemed to strip Naruto down to his bones with his eyes that turned red and spun lazily with a shape more like a wheel than Sasuke’s three marks. His eyes must be more advanced.

The alpha’s breath caught as he got a clear scent of Itachi. This omega’s scent was like- was like insanity creeping upon him. He smelled like a wildfire. Black and red and glowing white and running animals and death and- Had Itachi really lost his mind after Kisame died, or had he always been… like this? He smelled like consumptive desperation, so strong Naruto’s cock reacted right away. “I followed your scent because you owe me,” the omega purred, his voice low and dangerous.

“I’m so sorry,” Naruto apologized immediately, only barely managing not to stutter like a boy. The alpha tried hard to think of other things, to keep himself down, and it mostly worked. There was no way for his body to ignore all these signals, though.

“No, don’t be,” the omega replied, his voice too cool for Naruto’s liking. “I wanted Kisame to die. He was making me sick.” Just like when they’d met in battle, Naruto felt nearly frozen. How was it that an omega kept making him feel this? “You killing him has given me an excuse to seek something more suitable for myself.”

“I’m relieved you survived,” Naruto breathed.

“I’m not some low-class omega,” Itachi scoffed, his eyes flashing with crimson light. “That said, care for a spar?” Naruto blinked. He didn’t know how to respond. Did Itachi really want to fight? “I know I’ve injured you before, but you hesitated.” Naruto nodded. He had. But that fire had done a serious number on him too. “You seem to have recovered without any disadvantage. You’re stronger than me, aren’t you?”

“I don’t think I can attack you all out,” the alpha admitted honestly.

“Because of your affection for my brother. But this is only a spar,” Itachi encouraged, pushing his hair back and letting it slip through his fingers like nighttime water. “You need only pin me down.”

Itachi didn’t wait for Naruto to call a start to their spar. The alpha’s instincts screamed at him to move, and he jumped, though he saw no attack. The spot he’d been standing in burst into black flames. He narrowed his eyes at Itachi, and the omega was pointing to the side, Naruto looked, and it felt like... each second was turning the world more red and black. Everything looked different and was blending into one crimson color.

Naruto shook off the sudden disorientation and tried to find the omega again. They fought, or he thought they did. When he struck out at the omega, it was like fighting a mist. The alpha aimed for his opponent’s face. He was hitting an omega, yes, but Itachi warranted something closer to an all-out attack. The omega had used fire right off the jump, even though this was only meant to be a spar. Naruto landed a solid hit, he thought, but the omega melted into a flock of screaming crows.

The sound scratched harshly over the alpha’s sensitive ears. He was sick from the red, sick from the swirling of the environment. Kurama offered his help, and Naruto immediately allowed it. Feeling boiling red chakra burst from his body in a wave. The normal colors returned to his surroundings. Using the Kyuubi’s energy manifested into bubbling red claws, he finally managed to grab something solid and pin it down. By then, he felt dizzy and nearly sick. “I win,” Naruto said, but he wasn’t sure. It seemed like the omega was just laying under him, considering something.

“You pass,” Itachi replied, sounding close to being tired. “And you’ll grow.”

“What does that-” Naruto began to ask but choked when the omega rolled him over and mounted him in one smooth movement. He thought his half-hardness wasn’t so obvious- but apparently, it was firm enough to make its way into the omega’s slick body easily. Itachi was hot like a fire inside. It very nearly burned. And then it did burn. “Oh fuck,” Naruto gasped, grabbing at the omega’s dark clothing, not sure if he meant to remove him or pull him closer. “Is that fine?” He didn’t like how unsure he sounded.

“Harder-” the omega demanded. Naruto swore he saw dark flames licking at the omega’s body. Helpless, the young alpha did as he was told. Even with Kurama protecting him still, it was too hot. Without it, he knew his skin and muscles would have blackened and died. Naruto would have asked to pull apart, but for some reason, those words failed him.

Every time he met the omega’s eyes, it was like his thoughts spilled out of his head, like yolk from a cracked egg. If he struggled, it didn’t matter to the Uchiha holding him down and riding him, and without striking with the intent to kill, Naruto could do nothing about it. He shuddered, slick pleasure, and searing pain gripping him in waves. Naruto tied helplessly, and the flames above him rose into bonfire before extinguishing. “I can hardly believe you’d roll over for me,” Naruto breathed, his hands shaking where they were fisted in the dark fabric of Itachi’s clothes.

“Roll over,” the omega repeated, a superior look on his lovely, angular face. “Interesting choice of words.” And Naruto realized he was right. It seemed much more like Naruto was the one who’d rolled over.

“You’re really aggressive,” Naruto breathed, shaken. He touched his neck and felt the oozing marks. “You even bit me.” When he looked at his hand, blood and his wrists where Itachi had held him were bubbling with burn marks. Itachi had done all this without putting off even a bit of malice in his scent. That was just- how violently the Uchiha mated? “... Sasuke’s not going to let you move in with us,” he realized with a sudden sense of falling dread in the pit of his stomach.

“A shame,” Itachi purred, rolling his hips to feel the shift of the alpha’s knot inside himself. “You really love him?”

“I do,” Naruto replied, throwing his arm over his eyes so he could think. “I really do-” His mind seemed to clear when he wasn’t looking at the omega. His scent was still inviting, sure, but Naruto’s conscience seemed to return to him and ask him why he’d allowed this. Why had he knotted this omega he didn’t plan to bond- that he knew he shouldn’t bond? “I would do anything- that’s why- I can’t.”

“Then I won’t steal you,” the omega allowed, pushing Naruto’s arm away from his eyes. The alpha felt his surroundings waver again, but Kurama preemptively sent a wave of energy from him that at least kept that red world from retaking him. The omega traced his finger under his belly button, and Naruto’s eyes followed the movement. “Maybe I’ll come back if this doesn’t take.” If Itachi came back- would Naruto be able to resist him at that time- or would it be the same? He needed to think of something to take this omega’s attention away from him. It hurt to admit, but he definitely wasn’t ready for an omega like this. Not nearly.

“You really need an alpha with so much strength?” Naruto asked, doing his best to collect his thoughts in the face of that slow, unstoppable swirling. He knew to Itachi he must be like a doll. Luckily he’d run from the fight with Itachi once he’d decided he couldn’t kill him. Naruto wasn’t sure he would have been able to win, even if he had decided to end the omega’s life.

“Yes,” Itachi replied factually. His eyes sharpened with sudden interest, when before he’d seemed satisfied but... almost still underwhelmed. “What are you implying? Do you have any family?” He rolled his hips to coax an answer out of Naruto, and the alpha gasped. Without the fire, it might have felt terrific. Even after being burned, it was enough to make Naruto’s body want to curl up. The Uchiha was tight- like he’d never been with anyone, at least not in a long time. “And older sibling, perhaps?”

“She’s dangerous,” Naruto whispered truthfully, his voice failing him. He knew that would catch the omega’s attention. He seemed to have come here entirely to be with a prime alpha who was stronger than Kisame, and his sire certainly was. No contest. If he could arrange their match, he’d be safe. “I recently surpassed my sire, but it was a really close thing.” Naruto wasn’t worried about Kushina. In fact, Itachi might keep her occupied for a while and might even restore her happiness if they did happen to get along. “I had to fight her because she hurt Sasuke trying to mate him. She wanted an Uchiha for her bloodline.”

“Indeed?” He seemed pleased that he might be just what this powerful alpha wanted. Truly Kushina’s existence might be a lucky break for both of them. “If she matches up to your description, then I would like to test her as well.”

“Do you… want me to introduce you?” Naruto asked, struggling to keep stringing his thoughts together. It was working. The omega’s attention was already moving.

“If you don’t mind.” The omega’s mouth was such a pretty red as he nibbled his lip, lightly riding Naruto’s knot. That alpha wasn’t sure if it felt good to him or not. He knew it felt hot- and he knew from the throbbing of his knot that the omega was squeezing him tightly, and he was coming. “You can settle your debt to me this way.”

“I’ll walk you there,” Naruto decided, watching Itachi’s sweat-slicked thighs lift off of his, the omega’s dark clothing falling to cover him. Their bodies came apart with a soft pop, and the cool air was such a relief that the alpha nearly broke into tears.

Naruto led the way across the property to his mother’s house. Itachi stopped outside the door and sat down on a low wall, his legs crossed elegantly. “Let her know. I’ll wait here,” the omega instructed. Naruto’s instincts were bristling. He wanted to fight even despite his fear, but his morals told him it was better to solve this without violence, and his gut told him he might lose.

“Sire,” Naruto shouted into the large house. He waited. She had good hearing and usually came to find him if he called her name. Eventually, she popped out of a side room, looking sharper, with gold rings around her irises like she always did near full moons. When he was younger, he’d admired that in her, and he’d known the cycle without even seeing the moon based on how vibrant the yellow in her grey irises was.

She’d been hiding it because of the company people around, but on the fullest day of the moon, or when she was angry, her hair was often separated into nine distinct tails. Which could grab him when he was naughty or hold him close if he was sweet. Once they’d caught him and kept him from falling over a cliff and into the ocean.

He hoped she’d do that again because if she didn’t agree to help, he wasn’t sure how he’d deal with the Uchiha omega waiting outside. “I brought you an omega,” he told her. His sire didn’t like extra words. “I killed his mate, so you’d be doing me a favor.”

“To settle your debt?” She folded her arms. “You know this is like bringing me an apple that’s already been bitten-”

“C’mon, help me out,” Naruto pleaded. “That virgin omega thing is going out of style, anyway.”

“Easy for you to say- you had both their blood.” Naruto flushed. That was true. He had taken two virgins, but... they were the same age, and he’d never knotted before, so he’d been close to a virgin? Or something? The point was, she’d already had that moment, probably.

“You would rather have blood than a mate?” Naruto asked, knowing it was too reasonable to brush Itachi aside without seeing him. “Itachi could survive you, he’s an Uchiha, and he’s old enough, and... he burned me like this.” He showed her the marks on his wrists.

“He did what-” Kushina snarled, grabbing his hand to avoid the burns as she checked out his wounds. It still hurt, and the alpha whimpered softly until she let go of his hand, making a sound of anger. She took a step toward to door, her hair lifting off her back.

“He didn’t mean to! I think,” Naruto soothed her, grabbing her sleeve. “He burns the way Sasuke sparks.” Naruto didn’t want to be responsible for Itachi being killed. He turned his voice coaxing. “And I wouldn’t turn him down before I saw him~” Itachi was super gorgeous. And if his hypnotic effect worked on Kushina, it would be on once they saw each other. If the elder alpha decided to keep him, Itachi would have to get away from her before he could even think to cause Naruto any more trouble.

“Whelp, you are so reckless,” Kushina sighed, stroking his face. Naruto grinned at her. “... Bring him.” Naruto went and waved for Itachi to come. The omega stood and moved silkily into the house. Kushina’s eyes traveled up and down the omega. She seemed impressed. “I see,” she murmured. Her nose quirked, and she made a face that was equal parts impressed and disgusted. She raised her eyebrows at Naruto. “You’re shameless.” He wasn’t sure if it was a compliment.

“Sorry,” he apologized. “I didn’t think,” he admitted.

His sire scoffed. “That much is clear.” She bowed to the omega, and Itachi bowed back. “I’m Uzumaki Kushina.” She strode forward and took an appraising circle around him. Itachi's eyes followed her with equal interest. “Apparently, I’m to be your new alpha.” Her nose wrinkled up again as she took deeper breaths of his scent. “You’ll need several baths. One for what you’ve just done, and two more to get the stink of that overpopulated forest off you.”

“Before you can have me,” Itachi replied, inclining his head in conditional agreement. “Prove you are worthy. Defeat me.”

Kushina laughed. “Hold nothing back, or you might die,” she warned, her eyes flashing red and gold as she summoned her power. She spared Naruto a look. “You’re dismissed, my son,” she called. Naruto had already backed up several steps, and he was glad she’d permitted him to leave fully. He wasn’t sure if he should watch or not, and if they did decide to mate, he’d rather not be there. “I’ll let you know how I feel about your gift tomorrow.”

“Okay,” he agreed gratefully. “I’m stealing things from your kitchens.”

“Fine,” she replied, but she was no longer looking at him. Naruto closed his eyes for a moment to clear his head, and their combined scents were an all-consuming spiral of red and black flames, hot enough to turn sand into glass. He fled for the kitchens.

He planned to take some of the herbs to the ocean and wash with them before either of his mates saw him. But as he was walking down to the beach, he came face to face with his first. “Oh, hey Sasuke,” he greeted, trying not to sound as guilty as he felt.

“That scent,” Sasuke murmured, grabbing Naruto’s collar and dragging him closer. “Itachi?” Sasuke asked, his eyes turning red in an instant. “Itachi is alive, and you-”

“Yeah,” Naruto admitted. “But-” he wanted to explain.

“How dare you bond my brother?” Sasuke hissed, striking him across the cheek. Naruto’s face stung hellishly, and his body already had been hurting before that. “After I told you-”

“I didn’t bond him,” Naruto snarled, knowing he was taking out his frustration in the wrong place. But he’d just been slapped, and his instinct was to act defensively. “And watch yourself,” he threatened. He was an alpha, and he should be respected. Sasuke at the very least-

“You watch yourself,” Sasuke hissed back, baring his teeth. Naruto flinched as another flare of the black flame erupted on his shoulder before he could use Kurama’s chakra to throw it off.

“Fuck!” Naruto shouted. “Quit it!” He glared at the omega, clutching his arm. “You slipped again.”

“Did I?” Sasuke asked, his expression full of rage.

Naruto’s body sagged. He was out of aggression. “Please-” he tried again, softly. He was hurt badly and wanted someone to comfort him, but he’d messed up, and so the best he could probably get was veiled anger instead of open violence. Really he wanted to cry.

Luckily Sasuke seemed to sense that and took pity on him. “What happened?” the omega asked, kneeling beside him. His voice was far from gentle, but it promised the omega was actually listening, at least.

“He said I owed him for killing Kisame. He was very persuasive and beautiful.” The alpha swallowed, shaking his head. He had not only been beautiful; he had been mesmerizing in a way that wasn’t completely enjoyable. It was frightening. “Next thing I knew, I was... But I told him I couldn’t bond him because of you.” Sasuke’s expression was nearly impossible to read, but he didn’t look liked he’d burn Naruto anymore. His eyes were dark and deep, seeming thoughtful instead of flat with fury. and Naruto relaxed, though he still promised, “I won’t do it again.”

“Hn,” Sasuke seemed to accept. “But your debt isn’t satisfied. What’s to stop him from being ‘persuasive’ again?”

Naruto was happy to report he’d at least attempted a permanent solution. “I gave him to Kushina.” Sasuke's expression changed suddenly into dark mirth. He seemed truly on the edge of laughing. “Wipe that smirk off your face,” Naruto complained. “You’re so mean.”

“Go wash yourself of it,” the omega instructed, pointing down to the sea. “That’s why you have so many herbs, right?” His mouth was still twitching. Naruto nodded. That had been his plan anyway. “Give me the rest of the things. I’ll put them away.” Naruto did. Sasuke nodded, lightly touching the hole he’d burned in Naruto’s clothes. “Maybe I’ll kiss it better when you come back,” the Uchiha teased, his voice still holding enough bite to make Naruto want to hurry.

“Yeah yeah,” Naruto agreed, rubbing the new burn mark through his clothes. He went and washed everything, including what he was wearing in the ocean. The saltwater really stung in his burns, but he could also speed up his healing that way by making sure the injuries were clean. 

When he reached the house, he found Sasuke had left him a bucket of fresh water outside to clean the sand from himself. There was a fresh robe too. He stripped out of his sandy clothes and rinsed. Luckily the robe covered all his marks up. He didn’t want his mates to worry. Afterward, he entered the house and found his omega waiting for him by the kitchen fire. “Take me back?” He asked, kissing the omega’s shoulder, just beside their mark.

“Hn.”

“Oh, come on,” Naruto begged, wrapping an arm around the omega from behind. “Please.”

“No,” the omega decided, twisting around. But he spread his legs invitingly. Naruto wasn’t sure what was about to happen until Sasuke told him, “But you can serve me.”

“Is that my punishment?” The alpha asked, his voice turning to a low growl. He could catch Sasuke’s aroused scent already. Sasuke wanted him to do it as if it were a punishment. The alpha let out a soft rumbling laugh. “Joke’s on you. I love doing it.”

“Then-” Sasuke urged. Naruto lay on his belly between the omega’s thighs and flicked his tongue out. “Mm. Naruto,” the omega moaned. He’d meant to pleasure that male part of Sasuke, but the omega laced his fingers through Naruto’s hair and pushed him down. “Lower-” Naruto tasted his omega’s sweet wetness and heard him purr in satisfaction. “Yes,” Sasuke encouraged softly, tugging Naruto against himself so the alpha would lick harder.

Sasuke squirmed against Naruto’s swirling tongue, his body twisting out its pleasure in slow, languid movements. Naruto could see the muscles in the omega’s belly tighten and hear his breathy gasps when he liked something. He liked it when Naruto’s tongue stroked the place where his slick, wet opening became his twitching cock. Naruto rubbed and teased that spot until Sasuke’s hips lifted off the wooden floor, and he arched. Naruto felt and tasted his mate spilling sweet slick all over his mouth.

He watched his mate’s other sex spill onto himself, and before he had time to think, he found himself licking Sasuke clean of his release, finding all the droplets with his tongue. He loved the way the omega smelled when he came, and he nosed Sasuke’s pale skin desperately, unable to satisfy himself. Sasuke watched this, eyes dark, and lips parted with lust. Sasuke was still panting, and his hips were still quivering lightly when Naruto couldn’t wait anymore. He had to ask. “You aren’t really angry, are you?”

“You didn’t bond him,” his mate allowed, releasing another soft moan as Naruto kneaded the sides of his thighs. Naruto loved the feel of his mate’s creamy skin. He loved laying there. He could live rubbing his nose on his first’s dark curls. “You can’t take another omega,” Sasuke told him.

“Oh, can’t I?” Naruto growled, challengingly. He was expecting a fight, but Sasuke stayed soft. Even his touch to the back of Naruto’s neck was gentler.

“I’d be upset, and I’m not sure this... feeling would survive,” Sasuke told him, touching his chest over his heart. “Would you be fine with that?” He hadn’t expected something so serious. A challenge to his authority, perhaps, but an admission of his vulnerability and fragile feelings?

It had completely surprised the alpha, and Naruto’s heart stuttered at even the thought of doing anything to cause Sasuke to love him less. “No.”

“Then you can’t,” Sasuke shrugged. “It’s simple.” And really, it was. Naruto could feel it becoming a rule as easily as Sasuke said it. Naruto couldn’t knowingly risk their bond. “Maybe if I choose them, but I don’t see it happening,” Sasuke added, smirking at him. “There’s a limit to what I’ll take, and Hinata was already a stretch.”

“You love her,” Naruto argued. Hinata was beyond good to him, and Naruto had thought Sasuke appreciated that.

“Now.” The omega shrugged. “It’s enough work to love both of you.”

“Vicious thing,” Naruto sighed. He raised himself on his hands to get closer to Sasuke. “Kiss me.”

“Go wash your mouth,” Sasuke teased, wrinkling his nose and pushing Naruto back down.

“Now you’re just being cruel,” Naruto complained, cleaning his mouth on his sleeve. “This is you.”

“Go on, whore.” Sasuke’s eyes told Naruto he would press as far as the alpha allowed, and Naruto did owe him, so the omega must think he could press pretty far.

“I wiped it,” he told the omega, scowling as he pushed his mate flat onto his back. Sasuke went easily, snickering breathily at Naruto’s expense as the alpha pressed kisses all over their bondmark.

“Did Naruto tell you what he did?” Sasuke asked suddenly. The alpha froze. Hinata’s scent had entered the room. Naruto looked into Sasuke’s eyes and silently begged him not to snitch, but he could see that the omega had made up his mind.

“No, What did he do?” his second asked, her soft, innocent voice twisting him with guilt already.

“He had sex with Itachi,” Sasuke told her. “Said he just couldn’t help himself.” That wasn’t quite what Naruto had said, but even someone like him knew better than to argue in his current situation.

“Well, that won’t do,” Hinata sighed, her voice soft and disappointed. Naruto was ready to beg her forgiveness as well, but when he turned, her eyes were dancing with amusement. “We may just have to teach him a little lesson,” she added cheekily.

“Hey!” Naruto complained as Sasuke pinned him down. It hurt at first, but then it all went sort of numb. Sasuke used just enough lightning to make Naruto too clumsy to break free. It ran up and down his arms, making his body move wrong, but it didn’t really hurt, so he just stopped trying to move, marveling at Sasuke’s excellent control. When he looked in the omega’s eyes, he saw that superior gleam and knew it was a work of practice.

“The lesson is a stay to your appropriate wives,” Sasuke purred, leaning low over Naruto but not kissing him. The alpha squirmed. “Any exceptions have to be approved by me, your first.”

“That’s right,” Hinata chimed in. Naruto struggled, just to see how his body was dealing with the mild feeling shocks, but just made himself flail weakly. “Ah ah-” Hinata admonished, sitting carefully astride him. “You wouldn’t want to hurt us, delicate omega. You’re going to have to let us do whatever we want.”

“Or I’ll shock you so you won’t feel your fingers for a day,” Sasuke promised.

“You understand, don’t you?” Hinata giggled, touching his face gently. “What do they call this? Carrot and stick.” Naruto did find himself trapped between hard and soft, but honestly, where was his reward supposed to be?

“Just sticks here,” Naruto complained, doing his best to roll his hips against her. She gave a cute little gasp and then giggled when she got his joke. Hinata being there at least meant this wouldn’t be too awful. She would make sure things stayed gentle enough, compared to where Sasuke might take it if left alone.

“Well, don’t be so impatient,” Sasuke drawled. His shocks intensified for a moment and sent a weirdly pleasurable rush down Naruto’s body. “Sit on him.” Hinata scooted forward, lifting her fine silken under-robes over his head. Naruto groaned at the concentration of her aroused scent. She carefully perched herself on top of his mouth, and he could feel her slickness all over his lips.

Naruto's body shuddered, even just her scent and taste filling him with pleasure. Sasuke parted the front of Hinata’s robes so he could see, then used his index finger to press on Naruto’s nose until it nudged against Hinata’s pretty pink pearl. “Go on, lap it up, you animal,” Sasuke ordered him. “There’s pussy in front of you.” He didn’t know if he liked Sasuke speaking like that to him, but his cock did. It twitched hard, lifting off his overheated belly for a moment. He whimpered; it hurt to get more hard.

Hinata shivered from the vibration of his voice and pushed her hips down against his mouth. He tilted his head up and started to lick, eating her sweet pussy all up. She gasped, pulling on his hair as Sasuke had done- but even more pro-actively, guiding to exactly where she should be licked. 

“Yes,” Hinata gasped, grinding her hips down into his mouth hard. If Naruto had his arms, he would have pulled her close, but he didn’t, so he had to make up for it with his tongue, moving it fast against her clit until she stiffened up. Then he moved down to her folds, sucking them into his mouth so he could find the sweet center of her opening and taste that too.

Her pussy became his whole world. Her soft dark hair there pressed against his nose, and all the little gasps of breath he could take were full of her pheromones. His cock was throbbing, and he could feel himself spilling small spurts of fluid onto himself as his body ignored his injuries and desperately begged to find its way inside of hers.

And she, for her part, was shaking and enjoying herself a lot on top of him. There was no way she could stay mad at him after this. He nibbled her clit lightly, and her body jerked. He kept tonguing her there, using the rough part of his tongue, until she cried out and came, bowing over him and putting her hand on his forehead to make him stop. “Well done, love,” she praised, shivering, raising herself just out of his reach. He swiped one final lick with the tip of his tongue, and she squealed.

She stroked his cheeks with her thumbs and hugged him with her soft thighs. She tasted amazing, and she smelled like pure bliss. Hinata had always been pleasing, but something had changed. He hoped it was the happiness from being here together in a quiet place, the lack of stress that was letting her flower like this. Either way, her flavor consumed him, and he desperately loved her.

Then his stomach growled. He knew his healing had started, and his body was asking for the fuel it needed to replace all his damaged skin. “I’m hungryyyyy,” he whined. “You used up all my energy, and now I’m starving.”

“I think you ate plenty,” Sasuke teased, even as he drew back his power, and Naruto felt feeling return to his fingers. Sasuke wasn't really talking about food, though, and Naruto let out a whine of frustration to make sure they knew it.

“Should we let him go?” Hinata asked, climbing off him and wiping his mouth with her sleeves. “He did promise to behave better now on.” Hinata had forgiven him already. He didn’t think she’d minded in the first place. She just liked games, in her quiet way. With the game done, she went right back to gently petting him and caring for him like before.

“Is that true?” Sasuke checked, pinching Naruto’s cheek lightly. He hoped Sasuke wasn’t mad anymore either. But that would be a lot harder to figure out.

Naruto nodded intently. “Yes, I swear.”

Hinata smiled. “Let him go, Sasuke. The fact that Itachi isn’t here now has a clear meaning.”

“Maybe not yet,” Sasuke hummed, keeping Naruto pinned down. He didn’t even have to use lightning. The remaining effects were still enough that Naruto’s will to resist was weak.

“You guys bullied me,” Naruto whined. “I don’t feel like I’m your alpha at all.”

“And Itachi pushed you down too?” Sasuke asked.

“You saw?” Naruto asked, flushing. He didn’t want to be teased about it. It was embarrassing how afraid Itachi had made him. But that omega was... just scary.

“No. But now I know,” Sasuke replied, sighing. “And now I forgive you.”

“Sasuke,” Naruto whined. “That’s not fair.” He tried to get up but moving his fingers was one thing, and putting weight on his elbows was another. He wobbled, feeling jelly-like, though not in a completely terrible way. It was better to be numb, after all. “You still punished me!”

“Shh,” Sasuke murmured. “Don’t strain yourself.” It really was impossible to understand how his mate’s moods worked. “I’ll be gentler now.”

“Ow,” Naruto complained, feeling Hinata touch him. Even the normal temperature of her skin upset the burns. Pleasure had made him forget, but direct touch brought the pain flaring back to life. “Hot-” he heard himself whimper, feeling himself partially leave his body so he wouldn’t have to cry out. He must have made a face of suffering because both his omega seemed to become concerned.

“Do you have a fever?” Hinata asked, using the back of her palms to test the temperature on his thigh and forehead. Naruto couldn’t hold back his shout of pain, and that naturally made her lift his clothes to check. Her expression transformed. “Sasuke, look-” she exclaimed, shocked, pushing up Naruto’s robes further to show what had happened to his legs. “You’ll heal overnight, won’t you, dear?”

Naruto nodded slowly. It was taking him a little longer to answer through the haze of burning. He wasn’t sure what this much black fire would do to him exactly, but he knew it was in the process of healing already.

“Why didn’t you speak up sooner?” Sasuke asked, his own eyes widening with shock. “And your arms,” the omega guessed correctly, yanking down Naruto’s sleeves to see his burnt wrists, which had been covered till them. “Naruto, what the hell?” The omega asked, sighing in frustration. “If I knew you were like this-”

“There was pussy in front of me,” the alpha mumbled, repeating Sasuke’s cruel words with a lopsided smile. “My mouth was full, and I couldn’t feel it when you were shocking me.” His first at least had the decency to look a little ashamed about that.

“Idiot,” Sasuke scolded, lightly touching the heated marks and using tiny bits of his lightning to make it hurt less. He pulled the alpha onto his lap so that he could lay a bit more upright. “What’s wrong with you?” The omega demanded, running his hands gently through the alpha’s hair, tracing faint sparks along his scalp. The answer was simple. Sasuke had asked him to lick, and he’d wanted to do that, and then Hinata had sat on his face, and he hadn’t wanted her to get off.

Sasuke would call him stupid for both those choices. He knew it. Naruto squirmed. He wasn’t sure what to say. All he could think was how he felt about the omega leaning over him. “I love you,” he promised, making his eyes big and hoping it would soften Sasuke’s annoyance with him.

“I know,” Sasuke accepted. “But you’re still a fool.” Naruto grinned weakly, then broke into a yawn. His healing demanded sleep as well as food. At least his mates had put their frustration aside and were caring for him. “Hinata, get him something to eat?” He heard Sasuke saying. The soft stroking in his hair kept up, and he drifted off, knowing that when he woke up, there would be a meal, and finally, some comfort.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You thought these two idiots were done waffling around each other. The announcement is (somehow) made anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished this so here it is.

\\*/

Sasuke came to himself, without rhyme or reason, standing on top of a cliff. The wind was blowing fiercely, and the sky was an icy gray, but the cold did not hurt him. He felt as tall and as solid as he’d never felt before in his life. He heard the cracking of a small branch in the forest behind him, clear as a bell. His hearing and sense of smell were sharper than they’d ever been, too. 

He caught the scent of kin, a sea-soaked, windblown young boy. Behind him was the tree line, and huddled lower in the tree line was that small boy, blond, with lined cheeks and pretty blue eyes, wearing the orange robes Sasuke had found in that chest. 

Sasuke turned back towards the sea, and his eyes fixed on the turbulent ocean. A large part of it was churning violently, forming a monstrous whirlpool in slate grey. As the sun began to set on the horizon, the light reflected off the waves, forming a bright red, orange, and yellow spiral. “Wow, it’s pretty,” the boy gushed, coming out of the trees to stand beside Sasuke even though the wind was doing much more to push his smaller body. Sasuke wanted to help, but for some reason, he didn’t. The boy dropped down onto all fours and crawled the rest of the way. “Is it-” he asked.

“Yes, this is where we got the crest from,” Sasuke tells the boy, and realized his voice was not actually his own. It’s a woman’s. “This is what it means to be an Uzumaki. The spirit we must embody is wild, untamed.” She put her hand on the boy’s back, encouraging him to observe the rapidly descending water. “This whirlpool cannot be controlled or harnessed. No man can use it for his own purposes. You must be the same.”

“What’s that mean?” The boy asked, looking up at her curiously. He blushed. “I dunno all those words, papa.”

“It means you can’t let anyone control you,” Sasuke told him, quite seriously. “It means you have to do whatever you think is the right thing, no matter what anyone else says.”

“Even you?” the boy asked, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Except me,” Sasuke chided. “How could you ask such a silly question?” The words were not his, but their conversation amused him. He had a feeling he knew whose memory he was seeing.

“Well, uhm…” the boy mumbled, grinning shyly. He already knew he was about to say something silly. “Cause my heart says I don’t wanna eat green peppers ever again.”

“Ungrateful whelp, do you know how much green peppers cost?” Sasuke growled, and the boy eeped playfully, covering his face. “You’ll obey me and eat properly so you can stop being so small.” The boy shook his head. “I will serve it with your favorite stewed meat?” He peeked through his fingers and then nodded. “Good boy.” Sasuke pinched the boy’s cheek fondly and saw that his fingers were tipped with sharp claws.

“Can I go closer?” he asked, taking half a step towards the edge.

“Carefully.” The boy was careful, Sasuke could see it. But the boy could not foresee a rock sliding out from under him, choosing the worst moment to break from the side of the cliff. “Whoops,” Sasuke heard himself say, even though his own instinct would have been to shout. But then he looked down and saw that long, crimson strands of hair were holding the boy. They yanked the boy back into his arms. He squeezed the child. “Hold on to me while you look,” he decided. “Don’t go falling in there.”

“Would I die?” The boy asked curiously. It didn’t seem like the fear of death really bothered him at all. If he was who Sasuke thought, that hadn’t changed at all. 

“No,” Sasuke replied, turning the boy on his shoulder so he could keep looking at the sea. “But I might not find you again.” The boy sucked lightly on his thumb as he watched the sky until Sasuke gently pulled his hand away. The omega shuddered at the slimy feeling when the boy absently wiped his slimy finger on Sasuke’s hand. “If you get lost, and someone else finds out what you are…” he prompted.

“Someone would steal me,” the boy repeated faithfully, as though he’d been made to repeat this over and over. “I can’t trust strangers.”

“It would be much, much worse than dying.” Sasuke heard the woman’s voice urge. “I’d never see you again, and they might use you for their own purposes. You wouldn’t be free.”

Because he was such a young child, his perturbed face lasted only a few minutes. He reached out at the open water. “Can I go swimming in it one day?”

“You reckless little child,” both Sasuke and the woman laughed. “Just because you probably can’t die like that doesn’t mean it won’t hurt.” 

“Like when I broke my finger?” he asked, wiggling the digit in front of himself. “It got better, and I didn’t even cry,” he boasted, seeming proud of himself.

The woman’s voice laughed. “Like when those rocks rip open your little belly and strand you ashore miles away from here with nothing to eat except your own foot!” Sasuke sees his clawed fingers dig into the boy’s sides.

“Stop-” the blond child shrieked, squirming. “Stop! it tickles!”

“You’re a child now, but once you’re grown, you can choose what to do with yourself.” The woman’s voice was amused. “When you’re a man, swim in it all you like.”

“No, I won’t,” the little one decided, patting his tummy. “I like my belly the way it is.” He paused. “And my foot!”

“A smart choice,” the woman approved. “It’s a good one.” Sasuke nuzzled the boy’s belly, and when the little one wasn’t expecting it, he dug his claws into those little sides again, making the boy squeal and twist until it seemed like he’d fall from Sasuke’s arms.

“Ehehee,” he giggled, kicking his feet, his breath going high and wheezy as he fought to free himself. “Stop!” Sasuke put the boy down, but he clutched at the red skirts the omega saw he was wearing… or whomever persona he was inhabiting was wearing, anyway.

“Tired, little kit?” he asked, ruffling blond hair.

“No!” the boy chirped, bouncing up and down. “I don’t want to go to bed! You said I could try and run.” He pulled hard on the skirts, swinging his weight from them as he kept bouncing. “I’m a real Uzumaki, and I’m five so-” He showed Sasuke his five fingers. “Don’t underestimate me! believe it.” He really was tiny if he was already five. He didn’t know much about children, but he had cousins, and they often had eagerly told him their age. Sasuke would have guessed the was a year or even two years younger. He understood why this woman, who was definitely the boy’s guardian, was worried about his growth.

That also potentially shed some light on why Naruto had reacted like that Sasuke pointing out he was taller, assuming the memory truly belonged to who he thought. He was still trying not to assume.

“Then let’s see you change. If not, you go home.” The woman’s voice ended her directions on a soft growl, probably so the boy would know not to argue if he failed to ‘change.’ Sasuke felt like he knew what that meant. Was this the boy’s first transformation? “Clothes first,” he reminded, sounding exasperated. The boy tugged his clothes off over his head without untying them, wrestling his way out of them, instead of untying them and undressing properly. He let them fall on the ground, and Sasuke picked them up, sighing. “Now call on Kurama,” he instructed. 

The boy's eyes went red and grew slits, and he mumbled softly as he spoke to the beast, asking to be ‘a big fox like his papa.’ Sasuke would have gasped at the crunch of bones he heard next, but the woman didn’t, so neither could he. The boy was coated in red chakra thick enough to be visible, and Sasuke was thankful because he wasn’t really sure he wanted to see.

“Don’t fight it,” Sasuke soothed. He caught faint glimpses of a canine skeleton being fletched with muscles, then skin and fur. Soon, a fox, already the size of a rather big dog, stood there before him, yipping and hopping around excitedly. “Oh, good job,” he praised. “You’re a goddamn natural, as expected of my son.” Sasuke felt himself go through the same change, but thankfully he closed his eyes. The sensation of the change was intense. 

It hurt like hell, but there was also a sweet sensation along with it of becoming larger and stronger and gaining access to seemingly endless energy. Most of his senses sharpened themselves even more, though his vision took a slight dip. He felt free in this large body, whose height was only comparable to the largest trees. “Stay close.” He growled to the little kit, and it tucked itself close enough that Sasuke could feel it’s soft baby fur against his leg.

Sasuke leaned down and sniffed it, making sure everything was appropriate in its new form. It still stumbled quite a bit, but it would get used to having more legs and carrying its center of balance elsewhere. It had a healthy wet nose, and its eyes were shiny like they should be. Satisfied, Sasuke, now in the body of an enormous fox, loped off into the darkness, listening with amusement to the kits clumsy following steps. After sunset, there was moon-rise, and the silver disk was climbing high and full in the night sky, glowing with pure power.

/*\

Sasuke woke up suddenly, the skin on his stomach spasming in pain. “It’s hot,” he gasped, feeling suddenly and viciously burned. He pulled open the thin inner layer he’d been sleeping in and found- he wasn’t sure at first what he’d found. It was a circle of characters he couldn’t read, appearing in the red ink of his own blood. In the center was a spiral: the Uzumaki crest.

He wiped his hand over it, and his skin protested like he’d been scraped, but under the thin tack of his blood, he only found a faint pink outline that vanished, healing away before his eyes. He made a soft noise of distress. Whatever this meant, he was quite unprepared to deal with it this early in the morning, especially moments after waking from a dream like that. “Sasuke?” Hinata mumbled, rubbing her eyes. She put her arm around him to comfort him, unknowingly pressing on the tender markings. “Did you have a nightmare?”

“Where’s Naruto?” Sasuke gasped, shifting her arm up to his chest. Her soft squeeze was soothing, and he sighed, feeling his heartbeat and breathing slow to match hers.

“Running,” his second finally yawned. Light streamed in through the shutters over the windows, reminding him it was the full moon. He should have known that was where the alpha would be. Did the dream mean that the two of them were together, running? He imagines flashes of their majestic red and orange bodies, gleaming in the bright moonlight. Naruto had grown a lot, in both forms, since whenever that dream had been.

He wanted suddenly, bitingly, to see the alpha. “I’ll go wait for him,” Sasuke decided, sitting up.

“You don’t think it's better to go back to sleep?” Hinata caught his arm and pulled slightly. She much preferred sleeping by the side of another, and Sasuke normally wouldn’t leave the warmth of the nest either. “We don’t know for sure when he’ll be back.” It was persuasive, but Sasuke’s restlessness was louder.

He checked the window and saw that sunrise was not far off and shook his head. “No. But you should.” Hinata made a soft worried sound but released him and moved the sheets around to trap her singular warmth. “I’m just awake,” he promised, tucking her in from the outside. It would be cold when he left the cottage, so he got a fur from Kushina’s gifts to wrap around himself. He took some clothes for Naruto too, who he knew would arrive naked to their doorstep, body steaming from an all-night run.

The night outside air slipped under the fur and chilled him instantly. His skin broke out in goosebumps, and he wrapped himself tighter in the rich warmth of the fur.

He didn’t wait too long. Apparently, Naruto had already finished running before Sasuke came outside because the alpha came out of the sea, his muscled body marked with patches of fresh pink skin where he’d been viciously burned the day before. It was only Sasuke’s respectful fear of Kushina that kept him from marching into that mansion and slapping his shameful elder brother. 

Naruto was an alpha, but Itachi was older and had been too rough with him. Even if Sasuke somehow could ignore the betrayal of trying to steal Sasuke’s mate (and he wasn’t sure he could), there was no reason to return Naruto so scorched.

“Sasuke,” Naruto greeted, a little surprised but definitely happy to see him. He pushed his hand through his yellow hair, squeezing water out of it. It made his abdominal muscles and arms move in… a way. And he really was quite naked. 

The sight of Naruto, his skin chilled and taut, faintly sparkling with ocean water, distracted Sasuke from his worries for a good moment. Realizing he was staring, Sasuke wordlessly stuck out the clothes he’d brought. Naruto blinked and then grinned. “Oh, thanks.” He doused himself in clean water that he ran and pulled up from the well, and then came back and shrugged on the clothes Sasuke had brought him. 

Naruto hugged the omega close when he pressed himself into Naruto’s arms for comfort. He only felt Naruto’s muscles up a little as he kissed his mate hello. “I missed you, too,” Naruto soothed, kissing him back gently. Sasuke shivered lightly as he was showered in cool droplets. Sasuke didn’t purr since his feeling of malaise was still too present. Naruto picked up on it and scrutinized him. “Is something wrong? Sire didn’t bother you, did she?”

“No. She’s left us be,” Sasuke answered, assuming dreams didn’t count. He pressed closer to his mate. “How would I know I was pregnant?” he asked, leadingly.

“Why what happened?” Naruto asked, his expression becoming so worried that Sasuke regretted even implying it. The blond really just wasn’t ready to hear it, was he?

“Nothing,” the omega sighed, lying through his teeth. “But it would be happening soon.” A lot had happened. To list them: his heats had stopped, he was showing an arcane seal on his skin, and he’d delved directly into the memory of a demon vessel, something he’d only heard of other vessels doing.

“You’d find out the normal way,” Naruto guessed. “Your heats stop, right?” Indeed, that was the first thing on Sasuke’s mental list, and most likely the only thing he had expected Naruto to notice.

“Yes,” Sasuke answered, not sure how or whether to explain to Naruto how moon cycles worked and which ones had passed already, and by quite a strong margin too. Sasuke fidgeted in the alpha’s arms, and it seemed childish even to himself. Why couldn’t he just speak? He flushed.

“What’s got you like this?” Naruto asked, covering him with more gentle kisses.

“Weird dream,” Sasuke complained.

“Oh, Sasuke,” his alpha soothed, gentling him with soft, warm touches and a low rumbling voice. “I’m worried too, but you need to care for yourself. Can you sleep if I hold you?”

“Maybe,” Sasuke allowed. They went inside, and Naruto gently pushed Hinata over to one side so they could all fit. Sasuke tried his best, but once the alpha was asleep, he still felt restless. Luckily he’d reverted to his previous habit of lying on the outside, out of nervousness. He slipped out of bed and soon found himself tripping down the beach in the increasing dawn light. It was still chilly, but the beginnings of the sunlight had warmed the air enough that he’d left the fur behind.

He didn’t quite know how to move on the sand, so by the time he got to the water's edge, he was out of breath, and his legs felt fatigued. The sound of the sea soothed him, and he tipped his head back and sucked in deep lungfuls of air.  
  
He thought he was alone, but suddenly a tall crimson creature bounded up to the shore and threw itself into the ocean. A woman surfaced, her skin steaming as surely as Naruto’s had. They both did that then: end their run with a dip in the sea. “Kushina,” Sasuke knew, his body crackling with lightning. This powerful new ability had put Naruto on his back for a good hour. It would at least be enough to slip away from her with. “Stay back,” he warned.

“I’m not eager to fight that boy again, and I’ve acquired quite mate in the meantime,” Kushina decided, waving her hand dismissively. The water splashed slightly as she moved. “You don’t have to worry about me. I prefer not to tangle with that enhanced lightning either.” Sasuke didn’t entirely trust her, but his lightning dissipated, and the omega found that he was almost… disappointed. It was…anticlimactic. He’d wanted to fight her and see if he could win. 

But Sasuke wasn’t one to dwell. If she felt like being civil because she’d mated his brother, maybe she’d answer his questions. “If I were pregnant with... one of your and Naruto’s kind, how would I know?” He asked with no preamble.

“You think I’ve been pregnant?” Kushina asked, making a vaguely horrified expression. Her hair, long and red, billowed in the water, covering most of her form, but what he could see still looked dangerously sharp and strong. It reminded him not to let his guard down.

“Maybe your omega told you?” Sasuke pressed, sighing in frustration. “Ever listen to him?” Kushina scowled at the mention of her deceased mate, and Sasuke knew he’d been too hasty with his wording. He put his hands over his belly significantly. “Since I’ll be pregnant with Naruto’s soon, if not already.” That predictably softened her, and Sasuke dared edge closer, feeling the chilly water lap over his feet. If she said something, he wanted to make sure he heard it clearly.

She didn’t even sniff the air before replying. “More like, already, of the two.” So she’d clocked it the moment they’d arrived. Kushina grinned at him, and Sasuke’s hair stood on end. “You’re afraid,” she decided, cupping water in her hands and pouring it over her chest and shoulders to cool herself down. “All of your children with my son will belong to the contract and be prime. We don’t make omega here. If you birth one, I’ll know what you did.” 

Sasuke at first, only stared at her, shocked. “I didn’t!”

“I don’t have to concern myself with whether I believe you or not.” She shrugged. Sasuke opened his mouth to ask who else she thought he had mated- who could have possibly been preferential to Naruto. He realized it was pointless and fell silent, his teeth gritted in annoyance. He didn’t like being questioned, and knowing this, she was probably just doing it to rile him. “If it's one of ours, while you’re pregnant, you’re under contract, as well,” Kushina told him, coming out of the water. 

Her feet made no sound in the wet sand, and she moved silently despite being wet, and her muscled weight, which left visible imprints as she came closer. Quite close, actually. Sasuke took an involuntary step back, even though it galled him to do it, and the dryer sand behind him slid under his feet. He steadied himself, refusing to fall in front of her, but keeping his footing distracted him, and he flinched when he felt her touch. 

She had put a wet hand on his cheek, and the sensation was sort of different from when she’d been trying to steal him. It felt weirdly like she was… family? “It’s noticeable in your energy,” she decided, turning him this way and that. She leaned close to smell him, and Sasuke thought she might tell him something then and there, but she only hummed softly. “You’ll express the seal if it takes proper hold,” she seemed to warn him, tracing the darkly inked circle on herself. “It’s what kills the weaker ones.”

Sasuke wondered if her seal was always there. Naruto’s faded in and out of existence, he saw it sometimes when Naruto was using his power, and otherwise, Naruto’s belly was smooth and tanned, marked with a few pale lines of scars that had each once been mortal wounds. “If you do, it's best not to let anyone see it,” she told him seriously. Sasuke nodded. Unlike Naruto, she had actually experienced things. She knew. “Good luck,” she added. “I have high hopes for you and my son.”

“I did show it,” he admitted, interrupting her as she was turning to leave. She stopped. Her liquid-metallic eyes now held real interest, instead of just mockery.

“Show me,” Kushina ordered.

“It appears when it wants to. And you just-” Sasuke argued.

“I didn’t mean me,” she snapped impatiently. Sasuke stared at her, and she waved her hand at his stomach, then snapped her fingers at him impatiently. “Go on. I don’t have all morning.”

Sasuke hissed at her lightly, still afraid to push it too far, and loosed his clothes so his belly would be visible. She poked above his belly button, and his seal flared to life, the energy from it suddenly racing along every inch of his skin. He felt energized, even despite the stinging. He wanted to run, but not from her. Just… run.

Kushina nodded, her expression becoming deeply satisfied. “Well, now I believe you,” she admitted, though Sasuke hadn’t asked and was trying to convince himself he didn’t care about her approval.

“I dreamed,” he added. “I think it was your memory.”

“Spying on me?” 

“I didn’t mean to,” Sasuke replied hurriedly, covering himself back up. 

“I know,” she told him with a grin. So she’d been teasing him. He really couldn’t trust a word she’d said. She was like Naruto, but worse because she was older and had more experience fucking with people. “Seal dreams. You’re welcome to them. I imagine they’re meant to help you make decisions.” She shrugged slightly. Apparently, things could be a mystery to her too. “I’m not sure what curates them because it isn’t Kurama. I asked.”

“Am I-” Sasuke asked outright. “What do you think my chances are?”

“Let’s not talk too much and get attached too early, hmm?” She asked, stroking his face and kissing him gently on his forehead. “I have to go now, my new prize is probably awake, and I left him in the woods.” Sasuke had gone all day without thinking about his brother and Kushina being in the process of forging a bond. But now, his nose wrinkled as he was forced to consider it. She squeezed out her long red hair, shook herself lightly, flaunting her powerful body to him and the morning sky, and then strode past him, heading back into her mansion.

Sasuke stood there, stunned, long after Kushina had left, puzzling out the different pieces of what she had said. She didn’t try to hide things, but she also didn’t seem keen to explain, and Sasuke knew better than to ask her to.

One thing was for sure: He was pregnant, and his child would bear the contract. What he didn’t know was which of the two of them, if either, would live through the next year. It seemed that Kushina at least was dubious enough about his chances to not really want to bother with him yet.

Feeling restless again, he took off his clothes and waded up to his hips into the chilly autumn sea. His body immediately broke into shudders of cold. He fought the ocean for the right to stand in it until he was exhausted and barely remembered to go to the well and rinse off before entering the home and throwing himself naked into bed.

He pressed his shivering cold body against Naruto’s back, and the alpha rolled over to lay flat so Sasuke could curl against his chest. He purred softly as his mate sleepily pressed a kiss to his brow and stroked a hand over his hair. Sasuke put his arm and leg over the alpha’s body, purring louder as he was able to absorb more warmth.

He returned a kiss to the alpha’s jaw. “You swam?” Naruto rumbled softly, feeling that Sasuke’s hair was damp. Sasuke nodded and made a soft affirmative sound. “You like the sea?”

“Yes,” the omega replied softly, omitting his conversation with Kushina. He’d rather keep what he knew to himself. Even once he was sure, he still wasn’t quite ready to tell Naruto. In the process of warming up, he fell asleep.

XXX

Naruto woke up hours later. It must have been somewhere near midday. Hinata was gone; she’d slept normally, so she was probably by the hearth, making herself a meal. Sasuke, on the other hand, still lay beside him. 

“Sasuke. Are you up?” Naruto asked, sliding a hand along his mate’s side. Sasuke’s scent had shifted again- and it was even more tantalizing than it had been the day before. He wouldn’t say it, but it was even more delicious than Hinata’s had become recently. “Gorgeous,” he rumbled, pulling the omega into his arms and kissing his neck. “You smell so amazing.” 

Sasuke let out a soft yawn and mumbled a bit of something. “Are you sleepy?” Naruto asked. He wasn’t sure if Sasuke was trying to cuddle him when he threw one of his long legs over Naruto’s side, but he felt the heat of his omega’s core against him and got a whiff of an intense, rich scent from between the omega’s thighs and- and well he was only an alpha, really. He rolled on top of his mate and pushed into the omega’s soft, drowsily shifting body.

“Naruto?” Sasuke mewled, his fingers twitching against the cushion he was laying on. His eyes fluttered half-open, and his mouth made a soft, pleasured shape. “It’s so full,” he mumbled, biting his lip. “I feel,” Sasuke let his words slip out, still not quite awake. “Mmm-” It was definitely an approval, though his mate did seem a bit surprised. Sasuke was tight and not quite slick enough, but that would change quickly.

“I couldn’t help it. Don’t be angry with me,” Naruto pleaded quietly, cupping his omega’s head with his palm and kissing him, pulling a series of soft sighs from that pretty mouth. He rested his elbow beside the omega’s head, and Sasuke’s fingers came to curve around his arm in an endearing gesture. 

Naruto used his other hand to grip Sasuke’s hip as he thrust lightly, spreading Sasuke’s slick around and encouraging him to make more. There was more heft to his mate’s body lately. Sasuke was stronger and better fed, and it showed. Naruto liked it. He wanted both his mates to always have a healthy glow to them.

“It’s fine,” Sasuke allowed, opening up his body for Naruto to keep taking. The omega moaned when Naruto thrust harder, feeling that his mate had made enough slick to take him.

“Hey, Sasuke,” Naruto groaned, resting his head against Sasuke’s shoulder as he thrust, inhaling Sasuke’s changed scent from that dense point. It was still Sasuke, he wouldn’t mistake it for anyone else, but there was something else there. “Your scent,” he growled, full of possessive pleasure. Sasuke was mewling and shaking under him, his fingertips digging into Naruto’s arm as he shook with pleasure. “I can’t stop thinking about it. I don’t wanna be apart.” It made sense to him when he tied at that moment.

Sasuke arched, following him to release with a soft shout. He dragged Naruto down for kisses, lifting himself off the mattress to tangle his tongue with the alpha. Then he fell back, panting, a deep red flush on his cheeks left from orgasm. Naruto stayed there, lying between the omega’s thighs, gently petting and praising him, while Sasuke lay there and took it with an amused expression, occasionally interrupting him with a kiss.

Naruto wasn’t expecting the omega to suddenly spasm in discomfort, his hand flying to his belly.

At first, Naruto thought he’d yanked on his knot by accident, but when he looked, he saw the fiery red marks curl themselves into being, using Sasuke’s crimson blood as ink. They smeared when he touched them, leaving pink lines that faded rapidly from existence. So Sasuke was healing faster. “The seal,” Naruto breathed. He could feel his eyes beginning to sting. He hadn’t had enough time- he needed more time- “I knew your smell meant something.” His voice was unsteady, near cracking.

“Don’t cry,” Sasuke soothed, touching both his cheeks and forcing their eyes to meet. “I’m fine,” he promised. “It just surprised me. It barely hurts.”

“Sorry,” Naruto apologized, shaking his head. “I didn’t-” He’d known this would happen, and somehow it was still a shock. Naruto reminded himself that both his omega had asked, specifically to be allowed to be pregnant, but he couldn’t control the fear that bubbled up inside him.

“I’m fine,” Sasuke repeated, patting Naruto’s cheek so he would pay attention. “You’ll protect me, won't you?”

“Of course,” Naruto replied, instantly. Was that even a question? “Sasuke, how could you even-”

“Exactly,” the omega sighed patiently.

“I’ll do everything you need,” Naruto promised. 

“I know.” Sasuke hugged him close, pulling Naruto to lay against him. It took the seal out of his sight.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “You’re the one who didn’t notice my missed heat.”

Ah, true enough. “I never had a pregnant omega before. I just thought you smelled good,” Sasuke scoffed. “You’ve been really wet all the time,” Naruto added, sliding his fingers through the ample slick at their join. “You always show for me, so sometimes I can’t tell if you’re fevered or not.”

“And you’re complaining, spoiled fool,” Sasuke hissed softly, the sound going breathy as Naruto’s fingertips skidded over his slit and the base of his shaft.

“Only because it's getting me scolded,” Naruto whined. Then he sighed, admitting: “I didn’t want to see it.”

“And I didn’t want to worry you,” Sasuke replied, shrugging.

“I’d rather worry than lose you.”

“What would you do if it came to it?” Sasuke asked. “What could you do if you knew I was pregnant when we were at my clan house? You already never take your eyes off me.” 

“You were-,” Naruto breathed. They would not have gone there if he’d known—no way in hell. And Sasuke had probably known that and chosen to keep it quiet. Was Sasuke pregnant at the Hyuuga house too? They were so lucky it had gone well.

“I suspected,” Sasuke admitted. He hesitated and then added quickly and quietly, “I was supposed to be in heat the day we left,” as if Naruto was not meant to hear him.

“Sasuke, you’re crazy,” Naruto whined. Sasuke shrugged, and Naruto knew he had to resist the urge to tie the omega up and throw him in a room until he delivered. His first really was too chaotic. “And you were slipping before that,” he accused.

“When the seal first appeared, I knew for sure.”

“When?” Naruto growled, tugging lightly on his mate’s hair. Sasuke had presented a seal and then not said a damn thing. That should have been the sign to tell Naruto, at the very latest. Sasuke rolled with the motion, taking it as just punishment. Then he curled his fingers with Naruto’s, freeing the dark strands in the process.

“While you were running,” Sasuke admitted, keeping his eyes averted. He was guilty about how much he’d been hiding, and Naruto knew the reason had something to do with him. His mate had decided he was lacking, and it hurt. “Last night.”

At least it hadn’t been that long since Sasuke had been sure. If Naruto knew he’d been hiding even that, he wasn’t sure how he would have reacted… It didn’t matter. He should focus on what they’d do from then on. “It’s a full moon,” Naruto mused. “You’re definitely linked to the contract.” As if it wasn’t obvious. But the fact that the seal had appeared that exact day seemed important somehow.

“Kushina said that.” Sasuke’s dark eyes became sharper with interest. “What does that mean?”

“You have more chakra than usual,” Naruto told him, instead of admitting to the omega that he had nearly endless reserves at his disposal for as long as the seal graced his body. He decided to follow the Uchiha’s lead in glossing over the fact Sasuke had spoken to his sire.

The omega nodded, seeming to think. “Part of the reason I’ve been slipping is that I didn’t feel the pull.”

“There is no pull when you’re one of us. For the sake of another Uzumaki, another vessel, you shouldn’t be left unable to protect yourself against our enemies.” 

“I can use the beast’s chakra,” Sasuke whispered, his eyes going wide with something Naruto didn’t like. Not at all.

“Yes,” he replied. Only to not lie to his mate. They’d gotten used to hiding things, and they needed to practice honesty. He would have to be better before he could ask it of Sasuke. He really, really didn’t want to tell Sasuke about it, though. Hinata he wouldn’t worry about, knowing she would save it for self-defense. Naruto was deathly afraid that Sasuke would decide to pick fights.

“Will life be hard for it?” Sasuke asked, putting his palms over his belly and seeming to take a much softer approach to the whole thing than Naruto had feared. He allowed himself a breath of relief.

“Being a vessel itself isn’t so bad, especially since Kurama is our friend. It’s other people that make it dangerous. And before... other vessels. Mom had siblings before the war. But with each vessel, the power is split, and because of the war, the vessels all realized how much power they could have if they were the only one.” He hesitated, recalling some of the seal’s memories from that time. Words couldn’t say how relieved he was that Kushina had only killed her siblings in self-defense, the ones who kept coming after her. But after everything, she’d still ended up the only one left. “But we won’t raise our kids like that.” It was much too sad to think about, really.

“Absolutely not,” Sasuke reinforced, looking horrified.

“I know,” Naruto soothed, kissing his mate. Sasuke seemed to accept that promise, relaxing.

And then the dreaded words. “I want to use this power,” the omega breathed, coating his hands in Kurama’s chakra as if he’d always known how. But it couldn’t be. He’d just found out about it. Then again, Sasuke had seen Naruto doing it with his eyes glowing red. Did his eyes give him perfect memory too? Naruto pushed his hands over Sasuke’s to put a stop to it.

“You’re already using it. It’s healing anything that might be wrong with you right now. Like me, you’ll heal up overnight.”

Sasuke wiggled, moving his leg, and Naruto whined softly when it tugged on their tie. Sasuke was checking the claw mark Kushina had left. It had gone from being tight pink scar tissue to a faded line. “It’s gone,” the omega announced, running his fingers over it. “So nothing can make me lose it except being too weak.”

Which was a relief, to be sure that even if someone managed to hurt Sasuke, he’d most likely just heal any wound to himself or the child, barring certain… gruesome scenarios that didn’t bear thinking about. But it didn’t Naruto from worry the same way it seemed to do for Sasuke. “There’s no need to be reckless and start fights,” Naruto pleaded. “Just relax and be safe- for both your sakes.”

Sasuke wiggled more, and they came apart. Naruto gasped, and before he recovered, he heard: “All I heard is we have equal strength now,” he threw up his arms to block because he knew his omega.

A shock-wave of force went through his forearms, and he felt the bones crack, fracturing from stress. “Sasuke!” Naruto cried, shoving his mate back down. “Fuck.” His arms protested loudly. No clean breaks or fragments that he could feel, but he was sure his bones were riddled with cracks and bruises.

“C’mon, let's go,” the omega challenged, twisting until he slipped free. He was on top of Naruto, and his fist was wound back far, coating itself rapidly in the beast’s chakra. “Or I’ll really hurt you.” Naruto dodged, rolling his upper body to the side.

“Shit,” Naruto breathed as the fist slammed into the wood beside his head, turning it to sawdust. Naruto winced, knowing he’d have to fix that, but the shock-wave of power by his body and the feeling of Sasuke rubbing against him like that was making him have a different reaction.

“Stop being hard,” Sasuke complained, grabbing Naruto by the collar and shaking him. “I want to fight.”

“I can’t,” Naruto admitted. As nervous as this Sasuke made him, it was also a huge turn on. Plus, the omega was completely naked and still smelled so good from being pregnant. Even if Sasuke really meant to kill him, he might just lie there and take his chances. “I can’t stop it, and I can’t fight you.”

“Then I’ll beat your ass like this,” Sasuke decided.

“No,” Naruto whined, blocking another violent punch. He felt his bones creak under the pressure. Only his own use of the Kyuubi’s chakra had prevented them from breaking. He really hated breaking big bones. Even if they healed so he could use them again overnight, they’d still hurt all week.

Sasuke hissed in frustration, slapping at Naruto’s arms. He’d given up on trying to fight, probably finding no enjoyment in a passive opponent, and was just expressing his annoyance. “If you can’t beat me like this- I’ll run away,” he threatened. 

“You fuckin’ won’t,” Naruto growled, grabbing the omega’s arms and yanking them, so Sasuke fell onto all fours. Sasuke’s eyes were startled, and he looked ready to fight more, but they softened when Naruto leaned up to kiss him. Naruto touched his mate’s face gently. “How am I supposed to hit you all out if that’s my child? Even just when you’re my love, I can’t.”

Sasuke made a face of frustration and then groaned, throwing himself off Naruto and rolling around on the bed to have himself a little tantrum. “You wouldn’t know if I didn’t tell you!”

“You can hit me,” Naruto offered, sighing. “If that’s what you want to test. I’ll tell you how much it hurts.”

Sasuke looked at him from under his mussed dark hair, still lying halfway face-down in the bed. Naruto would have laughed if he weren’t so sure it would get him burnt. He wasn’t eager to do that again, after the day before. “You’re saying now is the only time I can fight you on equal terms, and you still won’t.”

“Sasuke,” Naruto soothed, petting his omega’s hair. Sasuke huffed and turned the other way. “I wasn’t going to tell you, but if you’re worried like this, maybe I should.” Naruto made his voice sound like there was a mystery to be uncovered. The omega rolled back around, interested in secrets as always. “You’re going to be stronger than I am soon,” Naruto admitted. “Physically, you’re already really close to what I did in years of training.” Sasuke gave a smug little smile at that. “The control of your energy is better, and your eyes are one of a kind.” Sasuke flushed, realizing he was being praised. “You’re insanely smart,” Naruto finished. “All I have more of is stamina and this energy.”

“And battle experience,” Sasuke admitted, probably feeling like he had to give at least one compliment back. “Your holds are impressive.” Naruto grinned. He’d had to get good at them because he’d been smaller than the other kids his age when he was younger.

“Which is nothing to be upset about. It’ll come, with practice,” Naruto promised. “The fact is you could probably kill me if you needed to. Especially now, when you heal like me and have no chakra limits, although I think Kurama would withdraw his help if you tried to end me.” Sasuke nodded. “That’s all to say there’s no reason to be like this. You’re not weak. You’re just early in training. It's been less than a year.”

“I could be stronger than you?” 

“Blow for blow with your fists or feet, it’s ugly what you could do to a human.” Sasuke, the vile thing, purred. “And your fire and lightning are powerful for someone with no training. You’re not even supposed to be able to use an element at this point, but you have two.” Naruto rolled his eyes and kissed his omega. If he had to talk his mate up to keep Sasuke from hitting him, he would. “You learn everything I show you instantly. Just let me finish teaching you, and I promise no one will scare you.” Sasuke nodded, his purrs softening as his eyes fluttered shut.

“So we’ll still train,” Sasuke asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

“I won’t fight you with chakra. It’s too dangerous.” Naruto reinforced. “If you decide to use that on me, I’ll just take it.”

“Fine,” Sasuke accepted, pouting a little but generally seeming in much higher spirits.

On top of anything he said, Naruto felt Sasuke didn’t need to be strong. At least not while he was pregnant. He would be protected enough that it shouldn’t come to the omega fighting for himself. “Can I touch you?” He asked softly, wanting to be joined again, this time knowing-

“I want to sleep,” Sasuke mumbled, curling up to keep hiding his pleased flush. He was pale, so it showed easily on his neck and exposed collarbones. “I’ll shock you if you wake me again.” But Naruto could tell his little wiggle as he rolled over was an invitation. Fighting all-out, Naruto was against, but play-fighting… He sat astride the omega’s back and heard the omega huff softly. Suspiciously, he wasn’t shocked. “Mm,“ the omega moaned softly, as Naruto’s fingers rubbed the small of his back, massaging out the tension Sasuke managed to work into it by being difficult right when he woke up.

His muscles were tight, but Naruto’s rubbing released them. With a bit more pressure, his spine cracked, letting go of its tightness as well. “No shocks,” Naruto checked, feeling Sasuke’s body shudder and relax, melting into a soft pile. He would do this every day if it made Sasuke take a breath.

“Because I like that,” Sasuke snipped as if it was obvious. Naruto dug his fingers into another group of tight muscles, and if the omega was going to say something else he forgot, and instead just purred. They went like that for a while. “That’s good,” Sasuke complimented eventually, then squirmed underneath Naruto. “Come in-,” he requested. It wasn’t entirely a surprise. Naruto had caught the omega’s scent rising moments ago.

“Yeah?” Naruto teased, kissing his mate’s nape and shifting his hips, so he was astride his mate’s legs instead of his back. “Again, are you sure?” 

“Didn’t I say-” Naruto filled him, and the omega moaned, his sharp words quickly forgotten. Sasuke stretched his body luxuriously as they slid together, curling his fingers and extending them like a cat with his claws. His body was slick and hot from the massage, and when Naruto’s knot bumped against his slit, Sasuke’s voice rose into a soft audible “prrt.” It slipped out of his mouth by surprise, and the omega ducked his head against his arms, embarrassed. It was pretty rare that Sasuke’s voice rose into the purr, and to most people, the pleasing vibrations would have been inaudible.

Naruto didn’t feel like any embarrassment was necessary. “I love you purring like this,” Naruto complimented, encouraging more soft noises of pleasure. “Pretty omega,” he praised, speeding up his thrusts and feeling Sasuke’s legs bend as he jerked from pleasure. On his stomach like this, he was tight, and Naruto could feel every part of himself being massaged and squeezed in powerful waves.

Sasuke gripped the fabric that covered their bed and started forcing himself back against Naruto’s thrusts, tilting his hips up slightly so Naruto would penetrate him deeper. He seemed to like the slight stretch of the knot as it roughly teased his opening, and his body supplied lots of slick so they could keep going. Naruto groaned, losing himself to the slippery and stretchy feeling of his mate’s insides. 

Suddenly, Sasuke’s body yielded, and Naruto felt his hips strike against the omega’s slit with a fleshy slap. The sudden vice around his knot made Naruto freeze, groaning deeply in pleasure as he felt his balls contract and his knot swell. Sasuke let out a shout under him as he was tied, his fingers uncurling slowly from the sheets. His body shivered, and as he came, he stretched his body again, becoming long and languid as the tension released from his pale limbs.

“Kiss me,” Naruto begged his lips against the damp, salty skin at Sasuke’s shoulder. The omega turned, a little clumsy as he raised himself on his elbows so he could lock lips with the alpha. They kissed slowly but deeply, feeling their pounding heartbeats become one as their join throbbed between them.

Sasuke collapsed back onto the mattress with a little mewl, panting and trying to catching his breath. The soft rumbles of his purring made Naruto laugh with happiness. “I love you,” he promised, nuzzling the omega. The purrs under him became louder, and Sasuke took Naruto’s hand, pulling it close to himself as Naruto kept showering his newly pregnant mate with affection. They rolled onto their sides to wait out their tie, and Naruto felt their warm, sweaty bodies melding together. “Stay close to me,” he pleaded, kissing the skin on the back of his omega’s neck.

“Yes, fine,” Sasuke murmured, scooting even closer to him and reaching back to pull Naruto’s other arm around him too. Naruto felt the omega toying with his fingers and claws. “You and I…” Sasuke spoke softly, and Naruto nosed Sasuke’s shoulder as he kept silent and listened. “We’re truly one now.”

“Yeah,” Naruto agreed, feeling himself spill more into his mate, and Sasuke accepting it all. He really was so in love. He would do anything, and he desperately hoped the Uchiha felt the same. “Are you happy?” he asked, feeling weak for asking it out loud but wanting more than anything to know.

“Yes,” the omega purred, letting Naruto spread his hand over the omega’s still flat stomach. There weren’t any visible signs yet. It just felt warm and smooth. Naruto liked it that way. It was their secret, and he wouldn’t have to worry about anyone targeting them just yet.

“Well, good. Because I can never tell,” Naruto complained. He nipped Sasuke’s neck, and the omega snickered softly, amused by Naruto’s confusion. “You ever think of making it easier for me?” He asked teasingly.

“No, you should get smarter,” Sasuke decided. Naruto bit down, and the omega cried out from surprise, his body quivering and tightening around Naruto’s knot, squeezing more seed from it. Naruto's eyes clouded too. But as soon as Sasuke gathered himself, he just continued being rude. “As a matter of fact, I’ve decided to be twice as intractable the entire time I’m pregnant.”

“Please don’t do that,” Naruto begged. Sasuke knew Naruto wouldn’t handle him too roughly anymore. Sasuke being spanked, tied up, or fucked carelessly were temporarily put on hold. “I’m only one man.”

“Maybe I’ll really run with your baby,” Sasuke threatened, his voice playful, but the prospect almost too dangerous for Naruto to find amusing. The alpha bit down again, and Sasuke let out a soft cry. Unless Sasuke was trying to get bitten over and over again, Naruto didn’t know what his mate’s goal was.

“Where exactly?” Naruto demanded, growling. “Did you have some bridges left to burn I didn’t know about?” His family surely wouldn’t take him back after he’d literally burned down part of their home. Sasuke didn’t want Orochimaru. He had no reason to go anywhere else that Naruto knew about.

“Just you,” Sasuke drawled, casually holding up his hand and sparking it idly with fire. It confirmed what Naruto thought. This was the last place for Sasuke. It both soothed his possessiveness and worried him.

“Again,” Naruto repeated, roughly licking the mark he’d made and watching the flames in his omega’s hand sputter out as his breathing stuttered from pleasure. “Please don’t.”

“Don’t do this,” Sasuke sighed. “Don’t do that.” He ran his fingers lightly along the arm Naruto had around his waist, teasing it with just enough lightning to make Naruto’s skin prickly. Sasuke had really taken the unlimited chakra thing to heart. “I’m bored.” Naruto knew the omega was itching badly for someone to test his powers on. 

If they had another child in a little while, Naruto would be more open to sparring him. Sasuke was so young, and he had no experience with the beast's chakra in battle. He could hurt himself the worst with it, forget anyone else. It was better to see how this first pregnancy went, and he wished Sasuke would just try and understand that.

“Oh, you’re bored?” Naruto asked, teasingly. “It’s too peaceful here, huh?”

“Exactly,” the omega sighed as if it wasn’t the most bat-shit thing Naruto had ever heard. “Someone needs to show up and try to murder m-.”

Naruto clapped his hand over the omega’s mouth. The universe shouldn’t hear those words. “You really like to tempt fate,” he growled. “Be quiet.” Sasuke bit the inside of his hand, but Naruto didn’t flinch. He growled, feeling the omega’s teeth imprint the meaty part of his palm. “When you made that decision just now, I guess you started right away.”

“Mmph,” Sasuke agreed. But his body went lax when Naruto rolled on top of him and pressed his knot deeper. “Hnn,” Sasuke moaned softly, his voice muffled by his mate’s palm.

“I was already thinking about tying you up to keep you safe. Are you really going to make me consider it seriously?” Naruto growled. His knot had gone down enough that he could tug it out from inside his mate if he put a hand on Sasuke’s hip and teased it out slowly. The omega’s pale hips lifted and shook against his as the widest part spread his opening to its limits. Naruto’s palm moved from the omega’s mouth to his shoulder, making it easier to control his sudden, squirming movements.

“Ah-” Sasuke gasped, his body tightening around Naruto’s cock as the alpha thrust himself back inside. His seed dripped out of Sasuke in thick lines, pushed around by Naruto forcing his knot back into the Uchiha. “It won’t- be- as easy- as it was- before.” The omega panted out his words softly, unable to keep his voice steady with the way Naruto was pressing him down into the mattress. “You ah- made a mistake- when you taught me things.” Sasuke bit his lip and shuddered out an orgasm, his eyes rolling back as he came. Naruto thought he could make Sasuke come like that a few more times before he tied again.

His alpha instincts provided him a vision of that Sasuke: one that he’d kept tied up and blindfolded since getting him. That he’d not taught anything and kept his unfair advantage over. Who would scream and shake helplessly on his knot, who he would leave dripping with his seed multiple times each and every day, who would not even know where he was, just that he was getting fucked and knotted by the alpha who possessed him. Naruto could have let him grow fat and pregnant without ever managing to get himself into trouble.

Naruto thrust hard, and his real omega cried out softly, his moan turning into another purr as Naruto ground against his deepest, most sensitive spot. Fleetingly, that imagined mate was pleasing, but Naruto really preferred the flesh and blood omega squirming disobediently under him. The real Sasuke who was excitingly contradictory, and violent, and in the end, equally helpless to the slide of Naruto’s cock spreading him open. 

Sasuke was so unique and beloved to him that it was more than worth the blow to his peace of mind. Besides, he doubted the sex would have been as good if his mate were kept in such a state. Sasuke probably wouldn’t ride, or respond like this, or lovingly squeeze Naruto’s hand in his own as he came. He was glad, so glad that he’d made his decisions about Sasuke from his heart over everything else.

Naruto thrust hard and slow, rolling his knot back and forth inside his first. The omega came again quickly, his spine snapping straight and his breath coming in weak gasps. Naruto held Sasuke down by his thighs, which looked stronger by the day, and slowly teased his knot out again, twisting his hips and watching his seed and Sasuke’s clear slick mix into a wet mess. 

To do this while Sasuke was still coming was clearly vicious- the omega choked and whined weakly, biting the sheet and making a highly erotic expression that revealed he was falling apart. The omega’s whole body shook. His hips pressed wantonly against Naruto’s to take the knot, desperate for it to be back inside him, stretching him. “Give it back-” the omega begged hoarsely, his hips shuddering as Naruto complied and slowly forced the knot back through that thoroughly stretched slit.

Sasuke’s fingers fisted the covers, and he was mumbling soft words of pleasure, and choking and purring. He made a variety of sweet sounds, all approving. Then Naruto's knot slotted into its usual place deep inside the omega, and Sasuke spasmed, tipping his hips up into Naruto to take it deeper. Naruto could feel the pressure of Sasuke squeezing and fluttering. The omega’s internal muscles had been loosened after being stretched by Naruto, knotting the omega twice already. However, they were still clenching and trying to coax him into tying once again.

Eventually, he did, groaning his pleasure against his mate’s neck as they became one. They would do this as many times as they wanted. It wasn’t as though they could be separated anymore, anyway.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Girl I- 
> 
> This chapter ended up super long because I like foursomes. Hope you also like foursomes because if not you may be lost. It is mostly porn with some story at the end.
> 
> R&R as the fanfiction vets say.
> 
> *tw/cw:* miscarriage in the second part. But it's early and it's not that graphic. If you get super triggered about this topic though just beware and skip the part after the XXX.

“Hi Sasuke,” Sasuke looked up as he heard a cheery female voice call his name. “How are you?” He was surprised to see the pink-haired beta girl who used to work for his family. She laughed at his surprised look and then asked: “Can I check on those injuries?”

“Sakura?” He finally managed to vocalize.

“Naruto came and got me,” she told him. “I wasn’t able to work for the Uchiha after helping you guys out, so he placed me with the Senju, and I was learning from lady Tsunade for a while, and now I’m here to help you have your baby.”

“Oh.” That was pretty wise of the alpha. And considerate too. Sasuke thought he might have to thank Naruto later. And as for wanting her to examine him... “You can look,” he decided. He spread his legs so she could look at the scar, or whatever remained of it. 

Sakura was understandably shocked. “It’s unbelievable! Have you been healing yourself?” Sasuke nodded. He wasn’t sure what she knew and didn’t want to betray Naruto’s trust. “Good for you, diligently healing it every day!” If getting knocked up was considered diligent self-healing, he’d take it. “Can I check on this part of you too?” She touched her navel, so he understood what she meant.

“Mm.” Sasuke undressed. She washed her hands in some water that she mixed a powder into. He enjoyed that Sakura was so fastidious. Sasuke supposed it was part of the medical profession, seeing as filth and illness often go hand in hand. He hated being grimy himself.

“I’m going to touch your belly and the opening to your womb,” she warned. Sasuke nodded his permission and her cool, freshly washed fingers pressed into him. Her other hand, she pressed under his belly button. “and some pressure-” she pushed from both sides. 

“Mmm-” Sasuke complained, feeling an instantaneous swell of discomfort.

“Nobody likes this, sorry,” Sakura apologized. She had her head tipped sideways as she felt around. Her face brightened. “Oh yeah, there’s definitely one in here,” she chirped. “I had to check, even with all the signs, that’s the only way to know for sure.” It was news to Sasuke. “There’s such thing as an imagined pregnancy that can affect your body- you could gain weight or even stop having heats- but this particular exam can’t be faked.” He supposed she didn’t know about the seal. Maybe wanting to be pregnant badly enough could have stopped his heats or even shifted his scent, but it wouldn’t have formed him a contract with a demon. “You’re so skinny and kinda tall, so you’re not going to show for a while. But yes. And it's placed well too.”

If Naruto was there to hear it, pressed against the omega’s back or shoulder, Sasuke might have purred to show how pleased he was. Sakura pulled her hands away from him, and he took a deep breath. His ears were kind of burning. He and Sakura had just gotten very personal with one another. “And these-” he asked when he could, touching the outlines of the muscles on his stomach. He rather liked them taking form, but he’d seen pregnant people, so he thought he knew what he should expect.

“Your muscles? Gone,” the medic confirmed. Sasuke sighed, falling flat against the floor. It was just as he’d thought. Sakura laughed. “Sorry, cutie,” she teased, rewashing her hands and then drying them on a white towel from her bag. “They’ll be back in a little while.”

“Can I keep training?” he asked, putting his clothes back on. She took his pulse and put a horn-shaped thing to his chest to listen to his lungs and heart before answering.

She nodded. “Oh, you definitely should. Exercise is good for you. I’ll tell you when to stop.” Sasuke was glad. He hated lying around, and he’d started to enjoy swimming in the ocean. Naruto said it made him stronger for sure, and he’d hate having to stop so soon.

“Oh, hey!” Kiba greeted brightly, pushing open the door. Sasuke winced internally. He hated it when people showed up unexpectedly. Sakura was fine, but the added appearance of Kiba was grating to him. This person specifically was supposed to be a day’s walk away, so Sasuke would have wanted a day’s worth of warning to prepare himself. He found that he relaxed a bit when Neji also entered.

“Naruto,” Sasuke scolded, seeing his alpha bring up the rear. “You can’t be having all these people here.”

“Yes, I can. This is my property now. I’m in charge,” Naruto argued, sticking out his tongue. Sasuke stared at him blankly, wondering if he should wait till their company was gone to smack the shit out of him. “Sire said I could give them rooms in the house. So it’s not like we’ll be put upon.” Sasuke relaxed a bit, but just by them being around, he already felt somewhat put upon. And he was jealous that the guests got to stay in the mansion while they were still hiding out here. “So?” Naruto asked Sakura.

“Sasuke looks great,” she announced. 

Naruto grinned, pleased. “Go check on Hinata too,” he asked. “Extra care for my princess, okay? This one’s used to living rough.” He came over and tugged lightly on Sasuke’s hair.

“Fuck you,” the omega replied, nipping the alpha’s thumb and then soothing it with his mouth. The alpha gave him a fond look, and Sasuke nearly kissed him. It was a second before he realized outsiders were there to see the gesture. He decided against it. 

“Are you guys sick? Is it contagious?” Kiba asked, edging back towards the door. 

“Come here,” Naruto gently took Sasuke’s wrist and waited for the other alpha to come near. When the canine alpha was before Sasuke, Naruto placed Sasuke’s wrist in his hand. “Smell,” Naruto told his subordinate.

“Naruto?” Sasuke asked, a bit apprehensive. Kiba was Naruto’s friend, but not Sasuke’s.

“For me?” The alpha asked gently. Was he misreading? Or was this… intensely erotic?

“Mm,” Sasuke allowed, curious. He turned his wrist over in Kiba’s palm so the alpha could scent the warm skin at his pulse. 

“That’s rich,” Kiba growled softly, his eyes full of praise when they flicked up to Sasuke’s. “Congratulations.” Sasuke nodded in acceptance. “Naruto, we talked about it earlier-” Sasuke could feel the alpha’s lips brush his wrist as he spoke. “Can we-” Kiba asked. “Can I-” his eyes met Sasuke’s directly, holding his gaze, and the omega’s breath caught briefly. “And Neji wants to, too.” Sasuke looked at Neji, and the omega nodded, running his fingers through his long hair. “You just can’t get him pregnant cause he’s mine.”

“Not yet?” Naruto asked.

“Still working on it,” Kiba shrugged. He grabbed his mate’s thigh, digging his fingers in. “That sweet ass keeps distracting me.” If that implied what Sasuke assumed, it made sense that there wasn’t a baby yet. Neji didn’t seem to mind. He just flushed with remembered pleasure. 

“Makes sense,” Naruto snickered. “What do you think, Sasuke?” His eyes were soft and pleading. Sasuke sighed. He really would have liked more time to think about this and prepare. “Kiba and I used to, before.” The other alpha choked slightly, averting his eyes. He hadn’t expected to be outed like that. “Sorry, Kiba, but Sasuke wouldn’t tell.” So they’d been doing that. Kiba had never topped, though. Sasuke gave a satisfied little smirk. His alpha would only bow like that for him. Kiba nodded, but he kept his eyes fixed on Sasuke’s wrist, and his face reddened. His alpha was such a slut. Was there anywhere he wouldn’t stick himself? 

To his credit, he was making a real effort to follow the rules Sasuke had placed.   
  
So would he approve it or not? “You want to,” Sasuke stated.

Naruto nodded seriously. “I do.”

“And Hinata?”

“I asked,” Naruto replied. “She’s tired and said it's up to you.” And maybe she wasn’t in the mood for so many males around her. She seemed to prefer fewer people, similarly to Sasuke. But he had to admit that Kiba intrigued him and that the thought of being with Neji was appealing as well. “So decide if you want Kiba and Neji, and we’ll do it.”

A second passed in which Sasuke thought of a reason he might say no, but other than a small spike of jealousy, nothing came to mind. And his curiosity about the other pair made even that feel hypocritical. He nodded. “I missed you,” Neji told Sasuke, immediately coming over and straddling his hips. Sasuke felt the cool sheet of the omega’s hair brush against him. 

“You met me once,” Sasuke replied, watching with intent as Neji leaned closer. 

“And you were funny,” Neji told him, amusement dancing across his expression.

“Funny,” Sasuke repeated. “You must have met someone else.” Neji kissed him, and Sasuke felt himself melting into it. The omega’s scent was clean and airy, and his kiss was gentle. He gave in to the urge to twist the omega’s silky pony-tail around his hand. He’d only felt brushes of it so far, but holding it was extremely pleasing, and Neji’s stuttered breath against his mouth when Sasuke pulled on it was satisfying too.

Neji did a little wiggle, and his robe was slipping off. Sasuke touched the smooth skin at the omega’s lower back, and when that pleased him too, he tightened his grip, kissing the omega more deeply. “Neji, you’re the only person I’ve seen Sasuke take a shine to like this,” Naruto commented, laughing. “I think I might get jealous.” Sasuke didn’t let that stop him from tasting the other omega’s mouth.

“Not me,” Kiba growled softly. “I’m just gonna go for it.” Sasuke felt touches to his inner thighs, felt claws dimpling his flesh as Kiba adjusted his position. Cool air brushed his skin as Kiba pushed his clothes out of the way, but it was soon replaced with the heat of the alpha’s body closing in. Sasuke’s eyes flitted to Naruto, who nodded. The alpha was biting his lip, and there was a clear desire in his expression.

Impatient, Neji tipped Sasuke’s chin back down and kissed him again, claiming his lips as Kiba entered him. “Fuck-” Sasuke gasped into the kiss, his fingers twisting in the omega’s tresses as an alpha who was not Naruto pressed his thick, throbbing manhood into the omega’s body.

Neji pulled back slightly to watch Sasuke’s face as Kiba began to rock against him. “Maybe he’s not as big as your alpha, but he still serves, doesn’t he?” the omega asked, lightly tracing the bridge of Sasuke’s nose with his fingertips. It true- the fit around Naruto was tighter, but Kiba wasn’t small either… And Kiba was a good deal more forceful when he made Sasuke take it.

“Ngh,” Sasuke exhaled in surprise, feeling the alpha strike the back of him roughly. Neji smirked, using his weight to hold Sasuke in place as his alpha thrust hard enough that Sasuke would have gone sliding across the floor if not for the other omega pinning him. He felt claws digging into his hips, dragging him closer so the alpha could begin thrusting from a higher angle- one that made the Sasuke’s legs shake on either side of him.

“Let me take care of this,” Neji offered, squeezing lightly on Sasuke’s dick. “I wanted to thank you.” Sasuke nodded, thinking Neji would stroke or suck him. Sasuke watched his waist bend and then felt the omega envelop him in warm wetness. It was surprising- and amazingly silky inside. Neji sat, straightening his back, and Sasuke shuddered. “Don’t release anything in me,” Neji instructed him, stroking his thumb over Sasuke’s lower lip. Sasuke nodded his assent. He wouldn’t betray this privilege.

Neji bounced lightly on top of him, his breath coming out in pants. His body worked prettily as he allowed Sasuke space inside his tightly squeezing body. Sasuke tossed his head, the sensation filling him with useless energy as his body failed to move with any coordination. Neji sped up, gasping hard as he came. His male part released its contents, and he squirmed on Sasuke’s lap, fluttering around him, then started bouncing again, but slower and more gently after his release.

Kiba’s knot was finally slicked enough to make its way inside Sasuke, and the omega arched, moaning as his body accepted the heated weight. Kiba thrust harder and faster, his knot swelling inside Sasuke as he prepared to tie. Neji’s gentle riding happening simultaneously was enough to make Sasuke’s body go still, focusing all its energy on just accepting the sensations. He gasped for air, the sensations becoming entirely too much altogether. The alpha knotted him, and the omega felt full, but not as full as with his mate. Still, it was enough to bring him dangerously close to cumming where he shouldn’t.

“Neji, please,” Sasuke gasped, gritting his teeth as he held back from his release. It was nearly impossible with them both stimulating him, and Naruto watching with that lustful look, his hand squeezing his angrily throbbing knot. “Lift-” he begged, still unable to move between the twin pleasures of the two mates.

“Right.” The omega lifted and used his slick slit to rub Sasuke’s maleness until the omega came, spilling onto himself. Sasuke panted, his voice rising into a soft shout of pleasure as he felt himself tighten around Kiba’s knot. “Good?” Neji asked, still rubbing Sasuke’s overly sensitive length. He was holding himself lifted off Sasuke's body, conscious of keeping Sasuke’s release away from the slit between his thighs. Sasuke nodded.

“Something bigger for you?” Naruto growled, picking up Neji by the waist like he weighed nothing. Sasuke felt Neji’s smooth, snowy skin slipping away from him. He trailed his fingers over the other omega’s thigh as he was taken away, then put his arm’s around Kiba’s shoulders, rolling his body and teasing their tie. The canine alpha immediately nuzzled him and started sniffing at his throat, puffing out warm, pleasurable puffs of air.

“I wouldn’t mind it,” Neji replied, moving his legs elegantly to perch where Naruto had placed him. Naruto went for his slick opening, and Sasuke felt his body heat when he thought of Naruto using the same hole on the omega he had. “Not there,” Neji snapped, pushing the alpha’s fingers away. “I don’t trust you.”

“What?” Naruto barked, surprised.

“I can’t allow you to take what isn’t for you,” Neji smirked at him, and he still managed to look superior even with Naruto nearly pinning him against the floor. “You’re that type of male. I can tell.”

“That’s not fair,” Naruto whined. Sasuke thought it was more than fair, seeing as both his omega were either pregnant or most likely pregnant. Kiba and Neji had not conceived yet, so Sasuke understood the other omega’s mistrust completely.

“He is,” Sasuke replied, sighing with pleasure as Kiba gently stroked his belly and sniffed deeply at his throat, drinking in the scent of Naruto’s claim on him and his resulting pregnant state. “Nowhere he won’t let it go.” He moaned softly as Kiba thrust lightly into him, shifting their tie around. Sasuke turned and gave the alpha a bit more attention, running his fingers through Kiba’s hair and pressing light kisses to his cheeks. 

Kiba growled with pleasure, and his scent did a little spike that made Sasuke quiver and clench around his knot. He knew that even if Kiba became feral, Naruto was there to keep him safe, but instincts were hard to persuade. The alpha rocked his body again, and the omega moaned submissively, looking at Kiba from under his lashes.

“You see?” Neji asked, turning back to the blond. He put his arms around Naruto’s shoulders and pressed a teasing kiss to the corner of his mouth.

“You’re both acting really cheeky today, huh?” Naruto growled softly. He flipped Neji over, pressed his mouth against the furled hole of Neji’s ass. The omega shouted softly, arching his back as he shook under the alpha’s vigorous attentions. Sasuke watched his alpha keep licking and add a finger to help tease the omega open. Neji squirmed and twisted under him, seeming to love it. It went quickly- the pair had admitted to using that hole a lot.

“More,” Neji gasped, thrusting himself back on Naruto’s finger. Naruto added another digit, and the omega’s back twisted as his hips jerked. “More,” Naruto thrust harder, and Neji’s hole seemed to swallow them deep into his slim, shivering body. “Enough,” Neji dismissed, grabbing Naruto’s wrist. He rolled onto his back and spread his thighs. He pointed at the alpha’s knot, which was so hard it was leaking from the tip. “That-“

“Are you sure?” Naruto asked. “This is big.” He wasn’t lying. “I wanna stretch you more.”

Neji kicked at the alpha, grabbed his leg, and yanked it up, quick as a whip. He snarled, daring the omega to try that again. “Now, brute,” Neji ordered, even lying there all askew, his hair tumbled, and Naruto handling him as easily as a doll. Sasuke felt himself clench hard- he wished Naruto would handle him more like that- lately, he’d been so gentle. Sasuke would find a way to snap his control.

“If that’s what you want, then-” The alpha growled. He took Neji by the waist and yanked the omega under him. Sasuke couldn’t see, but there was a wet sound, and Neji let out a wail as he got what he’d asked for. Sasuke could see his pale legs quivering against Naruto’s tanned sides. Naruto’s body flexed strongly as he thrust, and Sasuke could hear the soft slap of their flesh as they coupled.

“He likes it even rougher than that,” Kiba growled, encouraging Naruto to ride his omega’s ass even harder. The alpha shifted against Sasuke, most likely to watch, and he and Sasuke slipped partially apart. The omega shivered. “Hey, look,” Kiba rumbled at him, his eyes clouding with pleasure as he pushed into Sasuke anew, who was now well-slicked with the alpha’s seed. “We can move again.”

“Like this-” Sasuke rolled his body, pushing up against Kiba’s hips from where he lay on his back.

“Mhmm, yes,” the alpha agreed, lending his strength to help Sasuke exaggerate the motion, increasing their shared sensations. Sasuke let out a hiss as Kiba’s claws opened thin welts along his legs. “Say something if I’m hurting you,” Kiba gasped, his eyes narrowed, and expression visibly overwhelmed from Sasuke’s sinuous motions.

“I’m not so weak, either,” Sasuke promised. Naruto had claws too. However, he seemed to keep them to himself. In contrast, Kiba seemed to enjoy raking parts of Sasuke’s body with them, including the sensitive skin over Sasuke’s nipples, leaving three pink lines and drawing a surprised cry from the Uchiha. His body released slick in response- so this was something he liked?

The alpha fucked him hard and fast- and Sasuke kind of zoned out, letting the pleasure wash over him in waves. He looked to the side, his eyes clearing slightly as something touched his hand. Neji’s fingers were curled with his, and the omega’s eyes met Sasuke’s, the pearly irises helplessly rolling with pleasure as Naruto used him for all he was worth. Sasuke knew the feeling well.

“Fuck, you get slick- and hot,” Kiba gasped, scraping his fangs over Sasuke’s shoulder. Sasuke felt his body slick itself again at the praise and shivered as that let the alpha’s knot re-enter him. They both made exclamations of pleasure, and the alpha slammed his hips hard against Sasuke’s, forcing his knot into that perfect space meant to hold it. Sasuke cried out, cumming instantly, and Kiba tied again, losing control. Sasuke smirked with pleasure that the feeling of him cumming had forced the alpha over the edge. He felt the alpha licking at his throat, and he could feel himself stretch pleasurably to accommodate the swelling knot inside him.

Beside them, Neji went limp, his fingers uncurling from Sasuke’s, and Naruto let him down easily, making sure the omega didn’t fall to the ground. The alpha withdrew from Neji’s body and growled, “Next-“ Sasuke felt himself tighten. He wanted to volunteer, satisfy his alpha the way this newcomer couldn’t. But he was tied with Kiba, and even at his smaller size, it would be a minute before Sasuke got away. It also, and this almost made him snicker, seemed impolite.

“Naruto,” Kiba gasped, feeling the alpha move behind him. Kiba shuddered, and Sasuke could feel him throb, spilling more, as Naruto’s clawed hand curved around his throat from behind.

“Give me,” Naruto growled in the alpha’s ear. “That’s mine you’re using after all.”

“You said,” Kiba gasped, flushing a deep red. “You said we wouldn’t do this anymore after I presented.” Naruto licked the side of the other alpha’s throat, and Sasuke watched the male's dominance begin to crumble. “I’m older than you-” he whined softly, but he was already bending over, pressing closer to Sasuke Naruto could open him. He was used to submitting to Naruto- and it was a hard habit to break, as Sasuke knew.

“It’s fine,” Naruto promised, biting down hard on Kiba’s neck and drawing blood. Even if he was an older and larger alpha, Kiba couldn’t stand up to Naruto’s scent, which redoubled itself as the prime alpha exerted his dominance. Sasuke’s body reacted to his alpha, spilling slick and undulating around Kiba’s knot, milking more seed from it. “No one will know,” the alpha was coaxing. “It’s been years. Once won’t hurt.”

Sasuke decided to let the situation on top of him pan out and turned to Neji. “This one’s out cold,” Sasuke commented softly, checking on the other omega.

“‘S normal, he’s okay,” Kiba mumbled. “Naruto,” he gasped, throbbing hard inside of Sasuke. “Fuck.” Sasuke could feel the strike of Naruto’s balls as he fucked into Kiba. He could feel Kiba’s hot, desperate breath against his throat. Sasuke pushed his hands through the alpha’s hair and heard him whine softly as Naruto began to move.

Sasuke pulled Kiba up by the hair so he could watch the alpha’s dominance struggling to exist, see it slip away as Naruto roughly used him. Kiba shifted and jerked, forcing himself deeper into Sasuke as he tried to get away from Naruto’s abuse. The omega’s gasp turned into a moan. He loved to see his alpha dominating another alpha. His mate was strong. “You know what he told me?” Kiba gasped, his claws digging into Sasuke’s shoulders as Naruto yanked him back against his cock- undoubtedly spearing into him with toe-curling force. “When he started this?”

“No,” Sasuke encouraged, loving to see the alpha weak and helpless that way.

“He told me- if I was late to present, his alpha scent might push me along.” 

“Then he treated you like his bitch till you did,” Sasuke assumed, smirking. 

“Yeah,” Kiba breathed. Sasuke wondered what it would be like to kiss Kiba. He would try it. It wasn’t disappointing. The alpha’s mouth was warm, and his teeth were sharp. As Naruto fucked him, the way he returned Sasuke’s kisses turned sluggish and dazed, and Sasuke was able to take dominance, exploring the alpha’s mouth.

“You’re shameless,” Sasuke smirked at his alpha, feeling Kiba shake in his arms; a strong alpha made their plaything. “How can I believe anything you say?”

Naruto grinned. “Don’t. I’m just trying to fuck anything that moves.”

“Don’t knot me,” Kiba begged, shaking, his claws raking down Sasuke’s back as he came again- a thick spurt of his seed adding to the puddle already forming underneath Sasuke. “There’s only so much I can take.” He whined softly. “I’m still an alpha, you know?” That much was true. Only an alpha could come so much. Sasuke felt it bubble out of him in a gooey slide and shuddered, his body becoming desperate for more motion.

“That’s no fun,” Naruto complained, surely teasing Kiba’s hole with the thickness of his knot. Sasuke knew the alpha’s tricks. Knew how he liked to make his bitches beg for it.

Kiba didn’t. “Take it out,” he whimpered weakly. Sasuke knew if Naruto knotted him, he would take it and love it. But he wasn’t going to get to see that yet, it seemed. Growling softly, Naruto pulled out and let Kiba collapse onto Sasuke, shaking violently from overwhelming pleasure. Sasuke was sympathetic; after all, this had already been much for the first time after being outed to one’s mate and another omega.

Sasuke felt the urge to balance things. “You should pay him back, right?” Sasuke asked, returning Kiba’s gesture by scraping his shorter nails along the alpha’s nape.

“Eh?” Naruto asked, still kneeling behind Kiba’s collapsed body.

“He showed himself. Did you?” Sasuke asked softly. He wriggled out from under the alpha. Neji, who seemed to be regaining consciousness, linked his fingers with Kiba’s and coaxed the alpha into his lap, showering him in affection.

“Well...” Naruto hesitated, flushing. After acting so dominant and finding his way in everywhere, he became instantly shy when Sasuke implied a reversal. But he wasn’t saying no.

“What's he talking about?” Neji asked softly, his pale eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“He lets me do it to him,” Sasuke purred, curling his finger to beckon his alpha over. “I won’t share, but do you want to watch me?” he asked. Naruto was thinking about it, his body moving closer in sporadic little bursts. But his indecision meant nothing. Naruto would chase any pleasure, after all.

“Please,” the pair answered in unison. Sasuke purred as Naruto knelt in front of him and pressed a kiss to the base of the omega’s male sex. Sasuke felt the heat of the alpha’s mouth and moaned his approval when that warm tongue flicked out against him.

Kiba and Neji were cuddling up together, rutting drowsily against each other, and watching Naruto’s display with unmistakable lust in their eyes. The alpha who had dominated them both was kneeling for Sasuke, licking and teasing him carefully, minding his fangs, and making Sasuke twitch with pleasure. When Sasuke felt he was hard enough, he pushed Naruto onto his back.

He opened the alpha with his fingers, using his own slick to make the entrance slippery, and then added himself, groaning softly as he felt the alpha grip him. He pressed his lips to Naruto’s and felt the alpha kiss him desperately, his legs squeezing Sasuke’s sides as he got used to the submissive position. Sasuke pressed his thumb into the alpha’s mouth, making him keep minding his fangs and watching his wet tongue move as he panted quietly.

Sasuke thrust lightly to see how relaxed Naruto was, and the alpha whined, his mouth closing around Sasuke’s thumb to suck. The alpha’s hands grabbed at him, desperate for closeness. He loved Naruto in this state- and he wanted to show off how easily he could get him where no one else could. Sasuke waved Kiba over. The alpha approached, and Neji followed, curling himself around his alpha’s body to watch too.

Sasuke took his thumb from the alpha’s wet mouth. He turned Naruto’s head to the side, so his parted mouth was an inch from the tip of Kiba’s dick. “Use his mouth. I allow it.” He fed Kiba into the alpha’s mouth. Naruto whined softly. “Suck,” Sasuke ordered. He watched with pleasure as the alpha whimpered softly before obeying. “That’s it,” Sasuke praised. As a reward, he thrust again, harder that time, and Naruto’s lust darkened eyes rolled back into his head. “That hole is yours this time,” Sasuke informed Kiba.

Kiba hesitated, but with Sasuke’s encouragement, eventually fisted the alpha’s blond hair and thrust deep into the alpha’s throat. Sasuke solidified his grip on his mate’s hips and began to thrust with equal force, pinning Naruto between them. The blond’s knot bounced against his stomach, leaking thick, sticky droplets of fluid as Sasuke stroked him from inside.

Sasuke liked Naruto spread out around him and Kiba. Sasuke could see Naruto working hard to take Kiba in his throat- to make him cum. Kiba was bigger than Sasuke and a mission to swallow. Kiba pulled back, and Naruto gasped desperately, his body shaking from Sasuke’s deep, rough thrusts, and his chest heaving as he strained to get air after he’d been holding his breath. Kiba gave him a few seconds before sliding his length back down the blond’s throat, and Naruto gave a muffled moan, his eyes rolling back as he gagged on the alpha’s cock. 

Kiba's claws dimpled Naruto’s cheek as he leaned his weight on the blond, forcing even his knot into the alpha’s mouth. Naruto’s body convulsed, tightening hard around Sasuke, and the omega shuddered, nearly coming. Once he gathered his restraint, Sasuke thrust harder, and in response, Naruto’s throbbing, angry knot released a fat pearl of fluid, weeping over its untouched existence. Kiba groaned, his hips flexing against the blond alpha’s mouth as he released. 

Naruto choked softly, Kiba’s seed leaking from his reddened mouth as the larger alpha pulled away, strands of spit and come still connected his knot to Naruto’s mouth. Kiba held onto his knot by hand and let the rest of his release shoot against Naruto’s marked cheek. The alpha licked a fat drop of it from the corner of his mouth. He was shamelessly a sloppy mess. “Sas-“ he gasped, biting his lip. “More.” Sasuke fulfilled his mate’s wish by moving faster, rougher. He was close- the tightness of the alpha stroking him was intense. Sasuke squeezed the alpha’s knot, fisting it with strength, and Naruto cried out, arching as he came. “Please,” he begged, and Sasuke knew he was being asked to cum inside the alpha. He thrust, feeling the tightness of Naruto convulsing around him as he came from his ass. Sasuke shuddered and found his release as well, and the alpha’s legs pinned him close, making sure he spilled everything inside.

Naruto’s pretty blue eyes followed him, but they were unfocused and hazy. Sasuke leaned his chest against his mate’s, confident his pleased purring would reach Naruto in any state.

“I want to try it. Would someone take me?” Neji spoke up, flipping his hair over his shoulder with one hand and making himself hard with the other. Sasuke wondered if he should offer or stay with his alpha, who would surely be showing his needy side in a few seconds when Kiba spoke up.

“I will,” Kiba murmured. He flushed. “If you would want to-“

“Of course- if it's something you like, of course, we can do it,” Neji soothed, nuzzling his mate and climbing into his lap. They kissed, and Sasuke felt warm. He’d been absently stroking Naruto’s cheek, and the alpha kissed the inside of his palm, his big blue eyes asking for attention. “Now, don’t move. I have to aim,” Sasuke heard, leaning down to kiss his alpha. Naruto tasted bitter, like Kiba’s release, and Sasuke made a face. 

The alpha pulled on Sasuke, and the omega turned his cheek. Naruto pouted, whining in distress when Sasuke didn’t kiss him again. As expected, he was clingy after being used. Sasuke tried to make up for it by massaging the alpha’s scalp with his fingers. Naruto’s hands lightly touched his wrists, encouraging the affectionate touches.

“Oh,” Neji gasped softly, “that’s good.” Sasuke wanted to see what they were doing, but he knew he should keep his eyes on his own mate, at least until Naruto stopped feeling so needy. Sasuke stroked Naruto’s hair and pressed kisses to the parts of him that weren’t sticky from Kiba’s seed.

“Hey, Sasuke-” Naruto pleaded softly, rolling his hips so Sasuke could feel how hard he already was. It skidded, hard, and feverishly hot against the omega’s belly. “I really want to tie,” the alpha whined. “Everyone keeps running away from me.”

“Oh?” Sasuke asked, pulling out of the alpha and making him hiss in surprised pleasure. “So it turns out you need me?” Naruto’s hands answered before his voice, pulling on Sasuke until the omega was back to sitting astride him, as was their usual way.

“I need you cause if it's not inside, I can’t calm down-” Naruto answered shamelessly. Sasuke smirked, lifting his hips off the blond alpha and letting him beg. “Please, Sasuke. If you just let me-” It was only a tease- Sasuke had just lifted himself so he could grip Naruto in his hand and sink onto him properly. “Oh fuck-” the alpha choked, his hands tightening harshly on Sasuke’s hips before he deliberately softened his grip.

“You don’t need to hold back,” Sasuke purred, moving his fingers around the alpha’s and squeezing. “Give it to me.”

“Precious first,” Naruto growled, his fingers tightening to bruising force. Sasuke whimpered from submissive pleasure, then gasped softly in surprise as Naruto rolled him over. “You’re the best,” Naruto promised, thrusting hard and tearing a strangled cry from the omega. Sasuke reached up and wiped the alpha’s face with the back of his hand, and then kissed Naruto deeply, desperate to show his affection for the deep, forceful stroking that filled his belly with pleasure. Apparently, the way to snap his control was to let him fuck other, inferior partners, who feared the power of the prime alpha’s knot. Sasuke was pleased to feel all this frustration exerted into him. “I love mating with you the most,” Naruto growled, his hips hitting the omega’s in hard slaps. “You just take it all, so slick and hot around me-”

“Feels good,” Sasuke praised breathlessly, kissing his mate deeply. He whined as the alpha bit at his mouth before nipping his way across Sasuke’s cheek and down his throat. Sasuke cried out when the alpha renewed their mark, biting down hard. His body snapped against the alpha’s muscled abs as he came. Even then, Naruto’s kept up his thrusting until Sasuke’s body gave, and accepted his knot- the biggest thing Sasuke had had to accept all day. 

The omega’s previous orgasm chained directly into the next one, and Sasuke whimpered softly, digging his nails into Naruto’s back as the world grayed out around him, narrowing down to the powerful throbbing of the knot inside him and the fiery pleasure at his throat. The alpha had tied, and after being denied several times, it tied tight. “I also prefer you, my alpha,” he purred, rubbing his cheek on Naruto’s jaw, full of clumsy affection. His mind swirled, and his hips moved slightly of their own accord. He wouldn’t be surprised if this threw him into a fever, even if he was pregnant already.

“Glad to hear it,” his partner growled, pleased, licking possessively at their mark. Naruto lay on top of Sasuke, pressing the knot as deep as it would go, and Sasuke writhed under him, quivering and mewling. Eventually, their tie was released, and Sasuke felt the alpha pull away from him, leaving Sasuke leaking and full.

“Again-” Naruto growled, rubbing his thumb possessively over Sasuke’s lip.

“Who?” Sasuke asked- both hoping and not hoping it would be him. He was exhausted.

“Whoever,” Naruto allowed, kissing Sasuke. Sasuke whimpered. He’d take it again, then? He might faint, as Neji had. If Sasuke had count- he’d been knotted four times, fucked someone too. Did he want it again- would it be so bad to let the world fall away as Naruto came to his pleasure within Sasuke’s pliant body? Perhaps not. He was about to speak up.

“Me,” Neji volunteered, slipping away from Kiba’s side. He rolled Naruto over onto his back, apparently preferring to ride. “You promise you won’t tie me?” the omega asked as he stroked his fingers through his weeping slit. 

“I’ll do my best,” Naruto growled, digging his claws into Neji’s creamy hip. “But it’s like Sasuke said-” 

“Hold him down,” Neji ordered. Kiba came and gripped the alpha’s arms, wrestling him into place. Naruto’s claws left scrapes on either side of the omega’s waist as his grabby hands were dragged away. Naruto growled softly, and his cock throbbed, lifting threateningly on his belly. Neji squirmed on the alpha’s lap, biting his lip. He wanted it. “Then you can’t push me down on it, on purpose or not,” the omega breathed. He gasped, his thighs quivering as it slipped into his soaking wet pussy. It stretched him wide, and Sasuke could see in his twitching spine that he could feel every inch of it widening him. He came to rest on the knot with a soft whine, his eyes fluttering. “I’ll just ride it here,” the omega breathed.

He put his hands on Naruto’s chest and started riding. A soft, wet sound came from each motion, and Neji’s breath came in quiet, desperate pants. Sasuke could see the omega’s slick leaking in shiny rivulets down Naruto’s knot. The alpha, for his part, thrust up from below as much as he could- which was still quite a bit, and each time the knot teased his slit, Neji shuddered, his body weakening until he collapsed, and his weight made his body accept half of its thickness.

“Oh-” Neji gasped, his eyes rolling back. “I think I might just-” His body gave again, a powerful internal motion dragging the rest of Naruto’s knot into him. “Ohhhh~” he wailed, shaking himself, and sending that dark cascade of her hair flying in all directions. He sat there, quivering, recovering from the surprise of his sudden orgasm.

“Isn’t that a bit risky?” Sasuke asked, his mouth-watering from desire as he watched Neji’s hole contract, sealing itself securely around the alpha’s knot. His own body tightened in response. He knew how that felt- that knot that he’d fallen to and let breed him.

“Yesss,” Neji admitted, his mouth quivering as he rolled his hips on top of Naruto’s. “But it feels-” he gasped. “It feels-” 

“Neji-” Sasuke warned, knowing exactly where this could go.

The omega shook his head. “It’s not like I’m in heat. I can control myself. As long as I time it well, it’s fine.” He tried to lift off of it, and his hips gave. He collapsed again, his voice rising into a desperate cry. “Fuck-”

“Did you come?” Naruto asked, growling softly. “Again?” He gave a roll underneath the omega, slightly lifting him.

“Yeah,” Neji admitted, quivering from the soft, slow motions under him.

“Fuck,” Kiba growled. “Wait till it's my turn, you little tease,” he threatened, fisting Neji’s hair and tugging him forward for a kiss.

“If you say so~” Neji teased, letting Kiba bite his throat. Naruto grabbed Neji’s hips as soon as Kiba let his arms go.

Since it seemed he couldn’t ride it on his own, both alphas were forcing Neji up and down on Naruto’s knot. Kiba gripped him by the hair, and Naruto held the omega by the waist. Neji shook in their holds, his body wracked with shudders. Desperate moans escaped his mumbling lips. “Oh, fuck-” Neji gasped. “Naruto- I-” he stiffened, his muscles all tensing as he came again. “I-”

“Me too,” Naruto gasped, “I can’t.” He let go of Neji’s hips, but the omega kept riding him, and Kiba seemed too fascinated with Neji’s enraptured face to pull him off. A second passed. “I can’t-” the alpha gasped again.  
  
Sasuke intervened. “That’s enough-” He pushed Kiba aside and grabbed the omega under his elbows to lift him off. As appealing as the sight had been, this had to stop. Naruto gripped his knot with a strangled sound. Sasuke felt briefly bad for hurting him like that, but this was better. His seed spurted it out seconds later, multiple thick streams of it covering the alpha’s chest and stomach.

“Oh- thank you~” Neji gasped, his eyes clearing as he realized what had almost happened.

“You all forgot,” Sasuke hissed, dragging Neji’s limp body to the side till he could let him safely down on the ground. “You’re welcome, idiots.”

“Wow-” Neji gasped, his wrist thrown over his eyes. His hips still issued out little trembles. “I need to gossip with you.” About Naruto’s dick, surely. It wasn’t like Sasuke didn’t get it. Being fucked by Naruto had literally derailed his entire life plan.

“You shouldn’t announce that,” Sasuke sighed, smirking.

“Hey, Naruto- don’t look at my Neji like that,” Kiba growled. It was somewhere between serious and playful. “If my kid comes out blond, you’re gonna owe me one.”

“Eh-” Naruto asked. “From my pretty Sasuke? No way.”

“It would serve you right,” Sasuke told him, feeling a pleased breath slip from him as Neji’s hand stroked his lower back. The other omega was very affectionate with him- could it be that he credited Sasuke so much with saving him? Or had he just found Sasuke’s company pleasant? He had to admit; he was fond of Neji as well. He leaned down to kiss the other omega.

Sasuke knew from their display that he would want to see Naruto knot the other omega, and from what he knew of Neji, the sexually driven omega might genuinely enjoy it… but he wouldn’t want Naruto’s children to be scattered around. Neji really should get with-child to prevent any of that confusion.

“You wouldn’t do that to me, would you?” Naruto asked Sasuke, whining. “You can’t let him- just to get revenge on me.”

“I might have to help him balance the scales,” Sasuke threatened. He didn’t mean it. He couldn’t imagine letting any other omega breed him. If he weren’t pregnant already, Kiba should not even lay a hand on him with plans to knot him.

“No way!” Naruto cried playfully.

“Well, he didn’t tie me, and it's not my heat, so I think we’re all fretting for nothing,” Neji reminded them, rolling onto his side and cuddling up between Sasuke and Naruto’s bodies, his arms thrown over the blond’s chest. Naruto turned and kissed the omega, and Neji did a pleasing little wiggle against Sasuke’s side.

“But I want to-, so you should get pregnant soon, so we don’t have to worry,” Naruto suggested, having the same thought as Sasuke.

“That is one of the more appealing reasons I’ve heard.” Neji gave Kiba a meaningful look. “The waning half-moon is coming soon, isn’t it?” Kiba grunted positively in response, agreeing. “You should come over-,” Neji called sweetly, wiggling his fingers at his alpha, who was sitting a short distance away.

“I don’t think I match the mood,” the alpha admitted. They were all flattened out cuddling, but Kiba was quite hard.

“I’ll take you,” Sasuke offered.

“Really?” Kiba asked, coming onto all fours to approach him. Sasuke’s belly did a little flip. Kiba’s scent was warm and animal- and always just on the edge of feral. He was a prime alpha, like Naruto, and this made sense. But it was different from Sasuke’s alpha in a specific way. 

While Naruto radiated power, he seemed overall more in control of it. He didn’t smell feral unless he was being pushed into that state or the full moon was upon him. Kiba did, and because of that, each time Kiba’s body got close to his, Sasuke reacted with a tiny bit of fear- a need to stay on edge because this alpha might act volatile. He wondered how Neji was ever relaxed.

“Mmhm,” Sasuke replied, his breath catching when the alpha unceremoniously turned him over. Sasuke half tumbled into Neji, and the other omega held him, pulling him close and nuzzling him as if in thanks for taking care of his alpha while he recovered from the fucking Naruto had given him.

“How do you want it,” Kiba asked, spreading Sasuke’s ass-cheek to one side. The omega shivered, feeling exposed. Neji pulled on Sasuke’s leg, opening him more, and Sasuke mewled softly, feeling his face begin to heat up.

“Slow-” he decided. He was done being shaken, he felt. Deep, slow strokes, he could still be amenable to. Kiba’s head pressed against his opening for a moment before Sasuke’s slit gave and let him inside. It was slick and open from Naruto knotting him, and Sasuke found himself wanting it harder. “But strong like before-” he pleaded, so Kiba thrust harder, and Sasuke gasped. “That’s right-”

“You’re so sexy like that, pressed to my Neji.” Sasuke bit his lip, noticing Neji watching him with half-lidded eyes. “Kiss him.” The order sent a shudder down his spine, and soon his eyes were slipping shut, and he was pressing his mouth to the other omega’s, feeling those smooth, pale pink lips move against his own.

“Here, touch me,” Neji added, moving Sasuke’s hand to two hot pieces of flesh. One of them sent sensations directly through him as he stroked it. It was their male parts pressed together. “Mmm,” Neji praised, kissing Sasuke again. “That’s good- you’re so hot, Sasuke.” Sasuke moaned softly, his body jerking in time with Kiba’s rough thrusts. “It feels good against you like this- and when you were inside me, it felt like enough to melt me.”

“I’m-” Sasuke gasped- his mind filled with flashing lights as he came. He might have sparked a bit, but he quickly yanked it back within. Both of his partners gasped, and Sasuke flushed with embarrassment, hiding his face in Neji’s neck. His fingers felt slick and wet, and Neji was soft in his grip- they’d both come.

Neji reached over Sasuke to stroke his alpha’s cheek. “And you?” He asked, still panting softly. Sasuke would have told him that he had only come because of Kiba tying him, but he hadn’t caught his breath enough to speak yet.

“Did you spark?” Sasuke nodded, still hiding. Kiba pressed a kiss to Sasuke’s throat. “Don’t worry- it made Neji come.” Sasuke nodded, still feeling shy, but tipped his head to the side, so Kiba could kiss and scent his neck. he seemed to enjoy that. “You smell so fucking good. All knocked up like this.”

“Knot me next, in front of them,” Neji demanded, squirming free and perching himself confidently on top of his alpha. Sasuke couldn’t see what was happening behind him, he only knew when their join was tugged on, and he had to gasp. He let out a small whimper of a complaint, so they would know how he felt about this. 

“Quit it, you,” Kiba could be heard growling. “Lie still.” Thankfully things quieted behind him after that. Kiba’s warm body was mostly unmoving, though the alpha kept hungrily scenting him, the way a dog would try to get the scent of a fascinating new person.

“I’m jealous. I want you to scent me like this,” Neji whined softly. Kiba had done so, but Sasuke understood the impatience to get one’s mate back after sharing them. Thinking that he looked over to his alpha and stretched out his arm.

“Hey you,” Naruto greeted, filling the space Neji had left in front of Sasuke. He slid himself under the omega for support and put a hand on Sasuke’s hip, stroking the skin there with his thumb. His body's touch was so warm, and the familiar sound of his heartbeat so pleasing that Sasuke instantly started to purr. “It’s been a minute since I could touch you.”

“Look, it’s coming free,” Neji announced, vibrating with impatience. He put a hand and Sasuke’s thigh and pushed on him until Kiba’s knot slipped out of him with a slick convulsion. Sasuke shook, and if not for Naruto holding him, he would have flailed onto the ground. The alpha gathered him up and soothed him with kisses.

“So impatient,” Kiba growled. “Can’t you wait till others are done?”

“Isn’t that what I did?”

“Come here,” his alpha growled. “Let me do it.” Sasuke mewled softly, so Naruto would know he was quite overwhelmed and to be gentle with him. Kiba’s knot had only just been pulled out of him, and honestly, it had been too soon. It didn’t occur to him to say no, though. Sasuke knew he was a mess, but before he could even form a worry about that, Naruto slipped into him, then pushed down on his hips until he gave in with another soft mewl- letting even the knot inside himself.

They rested that way, feeling each other’s warmth and scenting each other. “Ugh- the way you smell- like a perfect storm,” the alpha groaned, thrusting deep into Sasuke’s slick opening. “You’re really mine,” Sasuke tipped his head to the side, showing his mark. “Even after Kiba came in you, you still smell all mine- cause I’m inside you.” Sasuke let out a soft cry as Naruto bit down on his throat. “Try and get away from me now.”

“I can’t,” Sasuke admitted, gasping. Naruto licked their renewed mark, and Sasuke nosed Naruto’s cheek till the alpha kissed him deeply. “But I don’t want to,” he admitted, his lashes fluttering. “Keep me.”

“I want that-” Neji whined playfully, rocking on top of his alpha. They were still knotted, and the alpha growled, pressing the omega down into his lap till he squealed. “Kiba-” Neji gasped, his heel skidding against the ground as he arched in his alpha’s lap. “Look at me like that,” he whined.

“Don’t I already?” Kiba growled, and there was the sound of soft yelping as Kiba bit down on Neji’s throat. Sasuke was sure that Kiba did. Neji was just playful. From what Sasuke saw, the two were devoted to each other.

“Let’s do it this way from now on, so we can-” Neji pleaded. “So I can bear a child for you.”

“Mm,” Kiba agreed. They all four lay in a tumble, each tied to their proper mates and trying to catch their breaths. Eventually, they came apart, and the two pairs separated, understandably wanting to clean up and get some alone time.

Later, after bathing, Naruto and Sasuke curled up together, wanting to stay as a pile of warm limbs and afterglow. “He was really all over with his claws, huh?” Naruto commented, tracing the red marks with his fingers.

“It’s nothing to be concerned about,” Sasuke reminded his alpha. He could heal from it easily. He expected to see no traces after this rest they were about to take. “And I liked it.”

“I wasn’t,” Naruto told him. “But I want to-” he kissed the mark Sasuke’s hip, then cleaned it, pressing into the scrapes with his tongue. It soothed the itchy feeling and seemed to make Sasuke’s skin seal up even faster. The alpha’s cock did a small jump, seeming to be in the process of getting hard again.

“You’re not tired out?” Sasuke asked, surprised. He traced his fingers over it, debating mentally whether he wanted to engage with the alpha again.

“Who me?” Naruto asked, pulling on Sasuke’s arm and lapping at a small cut there. The alpha hissed in pleasure, his fang catching his lip as Sasuke took his cock in both hands, stroking the shaft in twisting motions.

“You just fucked three people twice over,” Sasuke teased, feeling Naruto’s tongue push against a scrape on his shoulder- the one left by Kiba’s fangs. “Some of us three times?” Squeezing the alpha’s cock made the alpha groan against Sasuke’s skin.

“When it’s that, I just don’t get tired,” he growled breathlessly.

“Well, I am,” Sasuke admitted. “But keep doing that.”

Naruto rose and kissed him deeply. Sasuke moaned, his eyes fluttering shut. “Can I-” Naruto asked, his lips brushing Sasuke’s. “I want to fall asleep tied to you.”

Sasuke turned onto his belly, lifting his hips towards his mate. “Don’t shake me,” he instructed. “And finish quickly.”

“Yes, yes,” Naruto agreed. Sasuke felt the alpha mount him, resting his palms on the small of the omega’s back to steady him and thrusting steadily. Sasuke’s body was relaxed from all they’d been doing, and the knot popped in easily. The alpha let himself release quickly as Sasuke had asked, and in moments the extra room was used up by the alpha’s expanding knot.

Sasuke purred, letting Naruto roll him onto his side, fitting their bodies together. The alpha nuzzled the back of his neck and kissed him. There was no need or desire to resist, so they both slipped into sleep.

He awoke briefly from Hinata sliding into bed. She smelled like herbs, and when she snuggled close to him, he thought she trembled a little before settling down and falling asleep. He would have to ask her about that when he woke up. 

XXX

Naruto was writing his letters to the Hyuuga and Uchiha clans, telling them that as he’d been summoned to become the head of his clan, it would be a while before he could aid either of them in conflicts. It was a little dishonest, seeing as Kushina didn’t need anything, but he didn’t give a shit. His mates were his priority, and he would not help either of their clans fight each other. It would be an absolute disaster for his family. He was just finishing when Kushina and Itachi walked up to him. Naruto prepared himself for nonsense. Using his sire’s writing supplies had to come with a risk. 

“I love him,” Kushina announced, her hand braced possessively on the back of the Uchiha’s neck. “I’m keeping your gift.” That much was clear. Her mark was obvious and jagged on his throat, and she’d added her colors to his previously all-black wardrobe. He had new earrings and a new necklace: each colored with bright red rubies that flashed like they were wet.

“Yes, thank you,” Itachi intoned. His face was smooth, but Naruto had spent enough time with his own Uchiha to read the satisfaction.

“You told me you would tell me the next day. It's been a week,” Naruto complained. “I left and came back before either of you showed yourselves during the day.” And he’d only seen Kushina distantly while running, so he’d had no way to appraise either of their states.

“We’ve been wrapped up,” Kushina reminded him. “The full moon was his heat.” Her eyes flashed golden for a moment. “You understand, don’t you?”

He did understand. Not that he wanted to. Although maybe he was curious... No- better to not think about it. “This is so weird,” he whined, watching Kushina slide a possessive hand up the omega’s side.

“Why?” Kushina asked, raising her fine red eyebrows at him. “What’s wrong?” He could tell she cared what he thought, and that was touching.

The younger alpha shook his head. He did not want them to second guess their pairing. “No, you’re perfectly suited. It’s just... unexpected and...” Every time he blinked, all he could see was a vortex of red and black flame. “scary?” he decided. “Yeah, you two are scary.”

“Hear that, my love?” Kushina asked Itachi, helping him kneel across from Naruto. “He’s intimidated by us.” She produced a bottle of sake, and at the same time, Itachi pulled out three saucers from somewhere Naruto didn’t see.

“As he should be,” Itachi replied, pouring Kushina a drink, then one for himself. “Have a drink with us.” Naruto nodded, and the third saucer was filled. It was an honor to toast his sire's new bonding first, but it honestly felt so surreal that he was a little numb. He had never in his life predicted that Sasuke’s brother would appear, nearly fuck him to death, and then bond his sire the same full moon. But they both seemed so serenely pleased that Naruto instinctively knew they’d make a great pairing. He also knew, despite not wanting to know, that this calm serenity in the face of their past mania meant they’d fucked each other past stupid.

And good for them, he thought, while still trying not to think about it. They all drank. Naruto let Itachi refill his cup and drained it again. “So I’m guessing bonding went well- spare me the gorier details, please.”

“Yes,” they chimed in unison. This was bad for his health, long term. He was staring at them, so he didn’t have to blink. When he blinked, his scent took over, and by the scent, he knew being around the two of them was unbelievably dangerous.

“Who won your fight?” He asked curiously. He was pretty sure he’d lost to Itachi, and he was wondering how Kushina had fared.

His mother finished her drink and then patted her chest. “I did, but-“ She pushed her hair back from her face, uncovering the left side of her face. He hadn’t noticed her keeping it covered because she usually wore it free and unruly, but as soon as she pulled it back, he realized why.

“Fuck,” he breathed. The bared skin sported a scar that must have recently been a wicked slash across it. Her eye was still pale and unseeing, having healed itself back into form but not function.

“Yes. After,” she grinned.

“It didn’t heal overnight?” He asked nervously, wanting to move another inch away from the Uchiha.

“Enough Amaterasu and even the nine tails will need some time. Healing those burns takes longer, as you already know,” Itachi sighed, leaning up and kissing his mate’s brow in apology. Amaterasu. Was that the name of his and Sasuke’s black flames?

“He knows?” Naruto hissed, looking at Kushina in shock.

“I bonded and tied him,” Kushina replied, shrugging. Naruto sniffed. Compared to Itachi’s scent from before, and using what he now knew from his own Uchiha omega, he might guess it had taken already. His sire turned to her new mate. “Are you going to leave me?” she asked teasingly.

“I’d be hard-pressed to find a better alpha,” Itachi replied.

“You would,” Kushina replied, somehow so calm about something that had caused Naruto months of worry.

“By the time I do, I’ll be too fond of you,” Itachi purred. “It seems I get attached easily.”

“Liar.” Kushina barked out a laugh. “You weren’t attached to your last.”

Itachi smiled, and it was not entirely nice. Naruto was now almost completely sure the fire that had burned Kisame was at least partly Itachi’s doing. “He was not pleasing to me, but you are much better.” He touched her mouth and promised gently: “I plan to give you my next heat.”

“Thank you, dear mine,” Kushina accepted, then she grinned. “We’ll see if you have one.” She picked him up and set him to her other side so she could scoot to sit in front of Naruto. To see Itachi, who had hurt him pretty badly, handled so easily made Naruto’s skin crawl. She poured him another drink, which he swallowed quickly. Had he... had he beat her? “You gave this to me, you fool,” she said, but her tone said she was thanking him.

Naruto shrugged. “Well, I couldn’t keep him.”

“Right. You let those wives of yours run wild,” she pretended to remember.

Naruto shrugged. “They’re happier that way.” And he’d probably have a terrible time trying to control them. Hinata was obedient unless she felt something was truly wrong, and Sasuke obeyed more when he thought it was his idea. He didn’t like to think of Sasuke as a witch, but he’d known what taking a wild-caught, runaway Uchiha omega as his bride probably meant.

“How is that going, you and my brother?” Itachi asked curiously, putting his cheek into his hand.

“Well?” Naruto wondered. He shrugged. “I really like him.” He grinned sheepishly, biting his lip. “He implies he loves me back when he’s in a good mood.”

“Then why do you have another?” Itachi asked.

Kushina spoke up for him. “Interesting coming from someone who tried to add themselves.” Naruto was surprised, but she had asked what he would have, so he just nodded. 

Itachi scoffed. “You think I would feel threatened by them?”

“That’s not the point, is it?” Kushina asked teasingly.

“I could have easily removed competitors of that caliber,” Itachi’s eyes flashed darkly. “And I would have allowed Sasuke to stay because I am fond of him.”

Naruto shivered. He was quite glad he’d passed Itachi along. Hinata was sweet, and Naruto would have had to fight Itachi seriously to protect her. It wasn’t a dynamic he wanted in his household. God forbid something bad happened to her, too. “Hinata offered herself politely, and Sasuke wasn’t planning on staying back then,” he felt the need to defend. He couldn’t have Itachi thinking Hinata was an unwanted interloper in his home. She was much more valuable than that.

“Is that what he told you?” Itachi asked.

“Yeah.”

“And how long did he say this?”

“Several cycles,” Naruto admitted, his eyes narrowing as he wondered where this was all going.

“Interesting,” Itachi mused. “How did you make him stay?”

“Well-” Naruto couldn’t say something like that out loud- but he’d made the Uchiha realize with his body why Naruto was the mate he wanted. They had bonded physically, and he’d managed to grow on Sasuke by protecting him.

“I see. Am I correct to assume it wasn’t your sparkling conversation?” Itachi asked, folding his arms.

“Don’t be a dick,” Naruto growled. If he was going to tell the whole story before, he surely wasn’t now.

“Itachi,” Kushina admonished gently, petting the omega’s waist.

“So you were fucking my brother daily,” Itachi confirmed. “Sasuke, who would shock his own mother just for touching him, and you still let that little brat convince you he didn’t like you?”

“See, because I-” Naruto began but then realized he had nothing to explain to Itachi, and he rather wouldn’t. It wasn’t as simple as Itachi was implying. And Sasuke had shocked him quite a bit if that was the measure of it. Taking Hinata at the time had seemed right, and he’d had no reason to refuse her. At that time, Sasuke hadn’t planned to stay. If he had left and Naruto had rejected Hinata, it would have been terrible. “I think I have to go.” He stood. “You two bitches can entertain each other.”

He heard his sire laughing as he grabbed his letters, planning to go back to his own mates.

“Wait, wait!” Kushina shouted, still laughing. Naruto paused. “I came here for a reason... what was it?” Naruto shrugged. As if he knew, and he was getting tired of their teasing games. “Oh, yes-” She remembered. “You’ve filled my house with guests for a week with no sign of them going, and I have to entertain them. Won’t you move to the large house and do it yourself?”

“It’s getting rather cold, and I imagine it is easier to be with-child over here,” Itachi added, returning to seriousness easily. “Before it starts snowing, I’d much rather have my brother with me in the best shelter available.”

“I’ll ask them if they want to,” Naruto decided. “But I don't know.” He looked at Kushina. “Sasuke’s still skittish around you.” He didn’t even need to mention Hinata.

“We’ve had civil interactions,” she dismissed, rolling her eyes.

“All two of them?” Naruto asked with a snort.

“Three actually,” Kushina replied, inspecting her claws. When Naruto waited for her to explain, she added. “He announced his child to me personally.” 

“I didn’t know,” Naruto admitted.

“Because you nag too much,” Kushina told him with a grin. “That omega likes to handle himself.” Naruto scoffed. He knew that. Kushina was annoying. “He may just elect to come over. I saw him eying his house when he’d just arrived. Spoiled little thing.”

He couldn’t argue that. Sasuke had been good about the new house, but his initial reaction had been disappointment. Naruto hadn’t thought he was spoiling Sasuke that much, but apparently, he had been. “I guess we’ll see.” He would ask and see what his wives wanted.

He crossed the courtyard and pushed open the door to his house. “Sasuke, were you going to tell me-” he froze as the scent of blood washed over him. It wasn’t the usual droplets his mates released opposite their heats… no, it was a lot. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his letters fluttering to the ground as he ran into the sleeping room and found both Sasuke and Sakura fretting over Hinata.

“I don’t know,” Sasuke replied, shaking his head. 

“It’s more blood than normal, right?” Naruto asked.

“Yes,” Hinata admitted. She was crying- and had been for a while. Her cheeks were wet and bore tracks of salt from older tears that had had time to dry. Naruto’s chest twisted violently as her eyes averted from his. 

“I knew it,” he breathed. “I’m so sorry. This is all because of me.” He panicked. How could he ask Sakura- how could he try to find out if his second was going to… live?

“She’ll be okay,” Sakura soothed, stroking Hinata's hair gently. She hugged the omega’s shoulders lightly and adjusted the blankets around her. “It’s so early you won’t even feel it in a day,” she promised, feeding her something strong-smelling from a cup. Naruto was too distraught to figure out what it was, but he assumed it was medicine. “This could happen to anyone, even an omega.”

“But I’ll know,” the omega sobbed softly. His suspicion had been right then. The medicine was for Hinata, but not for the child. The child was lost. Even though at this stage, when Hinata’s body had barely been pregnant, it really really hurt.

“It’s not you-” Naruto began, kneeling in front of her. Should he touch her, or would that make it worse? “Babe, don't cry,” he begged, unable to see her like that.

“Poor thing,” Sakura soothed softly, her hands glowing lightly as she used healing chakra on the omega’s back. The smell of blood intensified, and Hinata winced. “I know it's hard.” Sakura’s voice was gentle and calm. It made Naruto want to feel calm too, and it did until he met Sasuke’s eyes.

A swell of panic rose in him. Sasuke was in the same stage as Hinata- maybe a bit further along. “You should- before it’s too late… get rid of it,” Naruto told Sasuke, feeling desperation welling up in him. “It’s because I’m not human.”

“Then neither am I,” Sasuke snapped. He wasn’t hearing it, and that was just like Sasuke, but didn’t he see? Didn’t he see that someone like Naruto shouldn’t have children- or omega? He’d been so selfish to take them. The matchmakers had been like. He was a monster and giving him an omega would be like committing a murder.

“Sasuke,” Naruto begged. “Please.”

“Don’t,” Sasuke hissed. “I already showed the-” He stopped shortly before slipping in front of Sakura. Instead, he just shook his head and told the alpha. “That won’t happen.” And Kushina had told him that few things could end the pregnancy after the seal was expressed, but that didn’t calm him.

“Can we be alone, you two?” Sakura requested, her expression saying something that meant he probably shouldn’t ignore her. “You shouldn’t fight in front of Hinata right now.”

“Right, okay,” Naruto accepted, his chest hurting even more when he realized he’d been arguing selfishly while Hinata was suffering through this injury.

He turned to the door and left the house, not turning back even when he heard Sasuke’s steps following him outside. He walked until he felt sand and then icy water under his feet, and the howling of the wind drowned out some of his spiraling thoughts. “So we came out here to fight,” Sasuke snapped as soon as they were alone on the beach. “Let's go.”

“Sasuke, don’t do this,” Naruto growled. “Not right now.”

“Say whatever you want. I can see it in you,” the omega hissed, his eyes turning red and his hand crackling with finely honed lightning. The omega was getting better. Much better. “Fight me.”

“Why do you think you’re indestructible?” Naruto shouted, pulling at his hair.

“Is someone going to prove to me that I’m not?” The omega drawled. He did a slight feint, confusing the alpha’s eyes, and in a flash, one of his sparking fists whizzed, chirping, by Naruto’s ear. So Sasuke was ignoring his refusal to fight. Fine then. 

Naruto used Kurama’s chakra around his hands to grab his mate’s wrists and twist them viciously around. His physical body wasn’t strong enough to keep up with Sasuke’s anymore, and that only made him feel more helpless on a day that already had him on his back. “So you will use that against me?” the Uchiha gasped, hissing as his body was put under stress. “you just need to be sufficiently angry?”

“Well, if you’re going to attack me like that,” Naruto argued, trying to wrestle the omega down.

“Ugh,” the Uchiha grunted, annoyed. He shoved hard, and Naruto took a step back, feeling cold water, and then- lightning arcing powerfully through every muscle in his body. He’d used the saltwater to conduct it! The omega took the chance while the alpha was stunned to grip his shoulders, and with one of the most forceful blows Naruto had ever felt, kick into his leg at a perfectly perpendicular angle.

His muscles screamed in pain. He knew some of them were torn. His first was turning into quite the vicious fighter, and the part of his that wasn’t furious was deeply impressed. He shoved the omega back onto dry land, using the force in his core to push since his leg was weakened. Sasuke stumbled, sliding in the sand he still wasn’t used to walking on, but grabbed Naruto’s shoulders and tried his maneuver again. That time it was even harder than before- Sasuke had somehow been holding back just a bit of his strength. This time Naruto felt his bone crack deep in his body and released a gasp of surprised agony.

His omega was now strong enough to break bones- just with his strength. He grappled Sasuke’s shoulders in return, using Kurama’s chakra made into clawed hands to lift his first off his feet where he couldn’t do any harm, assuming that is, that he didn’t use his fire. The omega’s eyes quickly became geometric, so Naruto had seconds to move. Naruto leaped forward and covered the omega's eyes with his real palms so that the vile bitch would have to burn his own face to use it. 

“And now what?” He growled, panting hard from pain and exertion, feeling the sand sliding under his feet. Sasuke was panting too. The fight hadn’t been easy for him either. He used one of his hands- Kurama’s chakra extending his claws even past their normal sharpness to grip the Uchiha’s throat threateningly- it would be a sharp reminder of who the alpha was. He saw the points draw fine droplets of blood and growled, encouraging his first to submit.

Luckily Sasuke didn’t decide to use black flames on his own face out of spite, not for a mere spar anyway. “All right-” Sasuke was about to give up, and it was enough to satisfy the alpha. He felt calm.

“I yield,” Naruto decided, taking his weight off his leg and releasing his chakra from Sasuke’s shoulders.

“Why?” Sasuke asked, surprised, as he was deposited on the ground. Naruto laughed. It was almost like Sasuke wanted to get knocked out. 

“You broke my leg, you bitch,” Naruto complained, sinking to his knees.

“Oh, it worked?” Sasuke asked, having the audacity to sound excited as he knelt beside Naruto and took the alpha’s collapsing weight into his arms. 

“Yeah,” Naruto winced. “It fucking worked all right.”

“How was I supposed to know when you just kept standing on it?” Sasuke apologized, rubbing his cheek on Naruto’s as an apology. He pushed the alpha onto his back. “Hold on.” Naruto did his best not to scream when Sasuke grabbed his ankle, put a foot on his chest, and yanked his leg straight. A hoarse shout escaped him, anyway. The omega applied just enough healing chakra that the bone wouldn’t move anymore. The energy was uneven, and Naruto could tell he didn’t really know what he was doing, but it was better than just having a broken leg. “You feel better now?” Sasuke asked, smirking. “Sakura showed me that one.”

“Yeah,” he kicked at Sasuke with his other leg. The Uchiha dodged cleanly. Of course, his eyes were red with three marks. He could see a move like that a mile away. “Get off me, you asshole,” he complained. He wanted to get up and find a way to make Sasuke… well, not hurt because that was still his pregnant first… but definitely uncomfortable. As he tried to rise, he found that- the ground had a hold of him. He couldn’t get up-and suddenly fat, and hot tears were running down his face.

“It’s not your fault,” Sasuke sighed, kneeling beside him. Had the omega been expecting him to break down? Brought him out here and annoyed him till he snapped so all his emotions could come pouring out? He gently wiped Naruto’s tears, but more came, and the omega gave up, leaning down to kiss him instead.

“Sasuke,” he sobbed, feeling the omega’s warm mouth touch his own. His leg hurt like hell, and his heart and throat hurt too, and Sasuke was just tenderly kissing him, and it made him cry even more.

“You did everything you could,” Sasuke promised. “And she’s strong enough that she’s fine,” he reminded. “Think about how fortunate we are.”

“But she’s so upset,” Naruto cried. If Hinata was so hurt, there was no way he could be relieved.

“I know,” Sasuke soothed. “But you’re not alone, and you won’t be.” Naruto wished he could just take the omega at his promise.

“My mother survived to the end,” he argued. “And then-” And then he’d died anyway.

The omega didn’t answer. “Here,” Sasuke showed Naruto a cut on his forearm. “I like it when you clean them for me.”

Naruto cleaned the scrape he’d made with Kurama’s claws. Sasuke’s arms were so strong lately. The omega was covered in muscles, honestly, and he’d grown a few inches taller than Naruto. It turned out feeding him and letting him run free unleashed a truly terrifying amount of power from the once frail-looking omega. Now that they were done fighting, Naruto was pleased. He would much rather his omega be stronger than him instead of being weaker than he should be. 

Naruto tasted the small droplets of Sasuke’s blood. The omega tasted bright- of so much life. Naruto was terrified for him. And for the child in his womb. He spread his hand over his mate’s belly. “You’ll be okay, right?” He asked. Sasuke was like a flame, and if it died because of Naruto- he might die too.

“Why do you doubt me?” Sasuke complained. “I’ve told you I’ll do it.” The omega sniffed haughtily. 

“Mmm,” Naruto agreed, still unsettled.

“Sometimes you act like you don’t want children,” Sasuke murmured, rubbing their cheeks together comfortingly. He let out a soft purr, but it wasn’t because he was pleased- this was because he was worried about Naruto. It was really touching, and the alpha wished he wasn’t so miserable so he could appreciate it.

“I’d much rather have you,” he told Sasuke honestly, squeezing him close. “If I could have you and no single heir, I’d pick you.”

“I-” Sasuke breathed- not having expected that. “Nonsense.” Wasn’t it obvious, though, how much Naruto loved him? It had been the same when he arrived. Sasuke wanted a complete bond, which meant a knot, and then a child, not understanding that Naruto was unbearably attached even without all these things.

“It’s true,” he repeated. “Same goes for Hinata.” He put his hand on Sasuke’s shoulder and partly got up. The omega grasped his forearms and helped him stand. “I’m tired of being angry. I want to be with her,” he decided. Sasuke nodded seriously, his expression thoughtful and still a little surprised. 

Then went back inside, and Naruto felt calmer when he realized Hinata’s blood-scent had been cleaned away. It was a good sign. It meant she wasn’t bleeding anymore, or they wouldn’t have bothered. “Hinata,” he called softly, opening the door a crack. “Can I come in?” Sakura wasn’t with her anymore, meaning that Hinata was safe, and the medic had gone to rest.

“Yes, please.” She stretched her hands out to him from her bundled spot on the bed.

He hurried over to her, taking her cool lily-like hands into his own and kissing them. “Hinata, I’m so sorry, princess.”

“I’m okay. It’s like Sakura said- once I stopped panicking, it doesn’t even really hurt.” Hinata sighed. She was smiling, but there was this deep melancholy around her, and Naruto couldn’t help but feel that it was he who’d caused it. “I had a hot bath and some spicy tea, and it’s all out... now I’m just sad that I failed you.”

“You did no such thing,” he argued. She nodded but didn’t meet his eyes. “Hinata-” he sighed. “I’m just glad you’re not sick anymore.”

Hinata put her hand on Sasuke’s. He was sitting near her and tucking her in more securely. “We’ll have to take extra care of you to make sure this one is delivered safely,” she murmured to him. Her voice was soft and washed out. So was her skin. It was white, even beyond its usual fairness. It made sense that she was exhausted. “Can you put up with me fretting over you?” she asked Sasuke.

“If it makes you feel better, I’d be pressed to refuse, now,” Sasuke sighed. Hinata nodded, finding a brighter smile, and pressed herself into his arms. Naruto watched Sasuke soothe Hinata and realized how much closer they’d gotten, all with him barely noticing it. It made him feel really warm, then immediately guilty. He didn’t want to have a good feeling.

“What?” Sasuke snapped, glaring over Hinata’s shoulder. His hands soothing her were gentle, but his face hinted at violence. Naruto lifted his hands in surrender.

“I’ve just never seen you two do that before,” Naruto admitted. Sasuke huffed, rolling his eyes. “It’s adorable. Is it bad if I feel happy?” he asked guiltily.

“No,” Hinata answered softly, smiling tiredly at him. “Would one of you make me some tea, please? The regular kind.” 

“Ah!” Naruto gasped. He should have made her tea right away. “Yes.” Naruto wondered what kind of tea Sakura had been giving her because apparently, the female omega hated it. He went to the teapot and sniffed, and his head spun. Parsley. A god-awful amount of it, too. He poured that out the window, made some normal tea, and placed a cup of it in her hands.

“And where’s mine?” Sasuke demanded. Naruto went back to pour another cut for his demanding first. “Hurry up,” Sasuke snapped impatiently.

“Sasuke, please, be kind to me,” Naruto complained, his knees buckling under him. “You messed up my leg.” He’d hurried too much, and the bone was reminding him that it had only just been broken, and he really ought to just lie down for the day.

“Oh, I forgot about that,” the omega smirked, still viciously pleased with himself. If Hinata weren’t unwell, Naruto would have given the cruel thing a deserved spanking.

“How?” the alpha demanded.

“You don’t act hurt,” Sasuke replied, shrugging.

“Hinata, he broke my leg,” Naruto snitched, making big pitiful eyes at his second. They couldn’t fight here, but he could win in other ways. He tried not to spill the tea as he scooted over on his knees, not trusting his leg with his weight after before. “I wasn’t gonna complain, but he’s making me fetch things.” Naruto scowled at his first as he handed over his cup. Sasuke accepted, then serenely sipped his drink, patting Naruto briefly on the cheek in thanks.

“Poor thing. Come here,” Hinata commiserated, throwing Sasuke a dirty look, mostly for show. His second welcomed him into her cocoon of blankets, folding the heavy fabric around him. She didn’t smell like blood anymore- just her sweet self and the parsley Sakura must have given her. “My dear first, how could you?” Naruto pressed close to her, desperately glad she was okay.

“Easily, with proper leverage,” Sasuke teased. Naruto threw him another offended look, and Sasuke at least seemed a bit apologetic when their eyes met. “I am sorry,” the omega finally said, touched Naruto’s cheek. The alpha shied from his first’s touch, burying himself further into Hinata’s soft lap. “I only meant to damage your leg muscles, and when you didn’t go down, I thought it hadn’t worked.”

Hinata giggled. “The second attempt broke his bone?”

“Yeah,” Naruto complained. “It’ll be fine for walking tomorrow,” he admitted. “But I’ll be running all messed up for a bit longer.” He could have asked Sakura to heal him, but he wanted her to save all her energy for Hinata, or even just in case, for Sasuke.

Hinata hummed, thinking. “So Sasuke’s the only one who isn’t hurt today. He should be serving us both.”

Sasuke shrugged. “No.” 

Hinata wailed playfully. “What’s going to happen to us, my love?” she asked Naruto.

“I don’t know, Hina,” he admitted, bemoaning their situation. It was good to laugh with her. If she was still light and happy like this, despite being exhausted and her disappointment over not being with-child anymore… then maybe things could be okay.

“... Do you think...” She asked, suddenly betraying a bit of nervousness. “When my heats start again-” She hesitated. “Would you allow me to-?”

“No,” Naruto decided, shaking his head. This time had been too close. He wouldn’t risk losing her again so soon. His heart couldn’t take it. “I hope you can understand.” 

“But-” Hinata argued, her pretty dark brows drawing together. “I nearly-”

“This can’t be good for your body.” He growled, and she fell silent. This was not something he could be moved on. “Next year, when it's warm again, we could try,” he relented. Maybe it was the unfamiliar weather that had tipped her over into not being able to hold on.

“That’s so long from now,” she complained, pouting. Naruto didn’t understand. Why did she want to risk her life again, just over what other people thought? Was it not enough for either of them that he loved them? Did there have to be physical proof? He didn’t think he was stingy with affection, or resources, or time. If he wasn’t doing anything wrong… maybe he just didn’t understand the urges of an omega.

He shook his head and nodded at Sasuke. “Then you two need to talk cause if you want a baby this year, it won’t be mine.” He and Hinata could soothe her heats other ways- he’d learned a few tricks before.

“Sasuke, what do you think?” Hinata asked Sasuke, shyly.

“Decide when you’re healed,” Sasuke told her, shaking his head. “Who knows how you’ll feel then.” Which was more rational than Naruto had expected Sasuke to be, but maybe it was easier for the omega when it wasn’t himself.

“You’re right,” she sighed, accepting it. “But you would- with me?”

“Of course,” Sasuke allowed.

Naruto hugged her waist comfortingly. He wanted her to be happy, but rushing it was a bad decision. Especially seeing how the first try had gone. They should wait until things were a bit better. He remembered: “Another thing to think about, if it's not too soon, Kushina wanted you to move into the house.”

“Not before I’m pregnant. I just would rather not be of any interest,” Hinata fretted, shaking her head.

“And I wouldn’t leave Hinata,” Sasuke added.

“So we’ll stay here for now,” Naruto decided, nodding.

The rest of the night was spent with Hinata’s mate and first fretting over her and doing everything to keep her warm and safe and comfy. Eventually, Sasuke shoved Naruto into the bed with her and ordered him to stay off his leg, taking over both of their care. He cooked something, and with Hinata’s softly called instructions, it was a truly delicious meal.

His first looked strong and energetic and had given Naruto quite a beating that day. Was that a sign that he would be able to carry a new vessel properly? Naruto allowed himself to hope. He could praise himself for doing one thing right: getting them out of Leaf before the fighting broke out. At least Hinata could heal somewhere peaceful and quiet. And… if Sasuke and the baby came out of this year healthy, he would try with Hinata again. 

He’d been a fool to risk losing them both at once- it couldn’t happen again.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry. I got distracted by a new wip. It's like me trying to rationalize the events of Boruto by assuming Sasuke is under Kotoamatsukami and Naruto is taking advantage of that. It's pretty hot. You'll see it eventually.

“It’s snowing outside,” Sasuke heard- the low tones of his brother, and perked up in his seat. “Yet it’s quite warm in here.” The resentment he’d wanted to hold left him, being replaced with nearly childlike joy over seeing Itachi again. “I was concerned this house would not be to standard, but I see your alpha has reinforced it well.”

“Close the door,” Sasuke told his brother, feeling the chilly air blowing in. Well insulated or not, with the door wide open, the house would get cold. He paused on his knees before standing. Sometimes he felt a bit of nausea when moving suddenly, but usually only when he needed to get up from lying down and double in the middle like this. “Itachi, it’s been a while.” He nearly stood, but his brother’s hand hooked into his armpit and gently sat him back onto his bottom.

“No need,” the elder soothed, kneeling beside him and then arranging some of the cushions so he could lay comfortably on his side.

Sasuke nodded in acceptance. “You like it with her?” He asked, that question burning more than any other. “She’s been good to you?”

“Yes,” his brother replied. There was nothing to show he was lying or had any regrets. “We are well suited.” He searched Itachi for any marks, but other than the obvious bondmark, his skin was clear. In fact, he sort of glowed in a way he had never when bonded the shark prime.

“I’m glad.” Sasuke paused. “She tried to kill me,” he admitted, to explain why he’d felt the need to ask.

“She tried to mate you,” Itachi countered, his mouth twitching in amusement. “You’re the one who almost died.”

“I had to fight her. I already had a mate,” Sasuke snapped. And why was she spilling this story to his brother anyway? It would have made her look bad. Then again, could Itachi have judged her after what he did to Naruto? After a second of thinking, Sasuke realized how well suited they were. The pair of them wouldn’t have any problems.

“Indeed,” Itachi confirmed his voice understanding. Then the elder omega added, “He suits you.”

Sasuke made a face. “What’s that supposed to mean?” He wasn’t sure if that was supposed to be an insult or not.

“Little brother, there’s no need to be so flustered,” Itachi sighed. “I’m just here to see your belly.”

“You don’t get to demand viewing rights,” Sasuke scoffed.

“But I do,” Itachi countered smoothly and waited. Sasuke grudgingly undressed. He pulled his brother’s palm to the barest rounding of his stomach- he wasn’t that large yet, but as predicted, his muscles had smoothed as his womb swelled. “Ah, fascinating.” Itachi breathed. “There’s still not much yet, but it’s visible.” His eyes turned red, and Itachi placed his finger to a specific point. “It’s right here. And your energy is woven around it like a basket.”

That made Sasuke feel warm. He supposed he was quite like a basket. Though, hopefully not that thin or fragile. “Sakura says since it’s my first, it won’t show much till the end.” He was pretty sure he knew, but he wanted to check. “You’ve never been pregnant before, right?”

“No,” Itachi confirmed. “Kisame couldn’t stand my heats, you recall.”

“And outside of it?” Sasuke asked, despite himself curious about what relationship Kisame and Itachi had once shared.

“I had no desire for him, and he had not the strength to make me,” Itachi answered, a hint of hiss entering his voice. Sasuke knew it wasn’t at him, so he wasn’t worried. “A male omega doesn’t often conceive outside of one, besides.” Sasuke nodded in acceptance, his eyes slipping shut as his brother shifted closer. He huddled near the other omega for warmth. Itachi ran even hotter than him, and after the door had been opened, Sasuke had become chilled. Itachi curled in closer, too, probably feeling the same about the snowy outside temperature as Sasuke. “How’s the Hyuuga doing?”

“She’s still tired...” Sasuke swallowed. “I’m ashamed to be so well, but I feel great.” He touched his thigh, where even the thin remaining line had mostly vanished. “Even my scars are healing.”

“Since I’ve been, my vision is better,” Itachi admitted, teasing Sasuke’s bangs with his fingers. “It reversed any damage from my years of sickness.” His brother’s encroaching blindness had been a source of anxiety for Sasuke. One of the reasons he’d run away was fear of that same fate. Uchiha omega degenerated quickly if their mates weren’t good enough. He hadn’t been able to just up and leave Naruto, in part for that reason.

“You are too?” Sasuke asked, his eyes flying over as he realized what else the elder omega’s words meant.

“It’s early,” Itachi replied. “Two missed cycles.” He covered his stomach with his palms and looked quite satisfied with himself. “But I did show it already.” Itachi had presented the seal. Sasuke expected no less of his elder brother. “Kushina gifted me these as a reward.” His older brother flashed new jewels at Sasuke. He always had been more conscious of his appearance than Sasuke, and as the best omega in the clan, he’d always gotten the best of everything. Seemed that hadn’t changed.

“Tired of Kisame’s necklace?” He asked.

“Well, it didn’t match anymore-” Itachi shrugged. “and when compared to rubies…” He touched his new adornments, a pleased smirk passing his lips. “Do you want it?” He asked, seeming to realize it might still be worth something to someone other than him.

Sasuke shrugged. “No, thank you.” He didn’t want anything of Kisame’s to touch him. Sasuke touched Itachi’s new jewelry, curious about the feel of precious metals and gems. The finest thing he owned was his silver hair fastener, and he often wore it, so it wasn’t interesting to his eyes anymore. “Where does she get these?”

“I imagine she killed for them,” Itachi purred, his eyes flashing. “Aren’t they beautiful?”

“Yes,” Sasuke agreed, feeling a pang of jealousy. “Very.”

“Does he give you gifts?” Itachi asked, referring to Sasuke’s alpha.

“He would if I asked,” Sasuke replied with certainty. “He gives me anything I ask.” But he was simple, and so a gift like this would not occur to him. Instead, he expected Naruto would give him something nice to eat or drink, or give him nice weapons and armor, which he had.

“You shouldn’t have to ask,” Itachi replied, his nose wrinkling in disapproval. Sasuke wanted to laugh. Itachi did not know how spoiled Sasuke was. Then again, he expected his brother would be just as spoiled, if not more, now that he had a worthy mate, finally.

“Then how will he know?” Sasuke retorted. “You wore jewelry before. I didn’t,” he reminded the elder omega. “He would risk giving me something useless.”

“He should be willing to risk it,” Itachi replied smoothly.

“I disagree,” Sasuke snickered. Being Itachi’s alpha seemed like a lot of work. “I think I might ask, though.”

“Suit yourself,” his brother replied with a shrug as if Sasuke still had a choice of alpha. Pregnant as Sasuke was, it would be completely against his nature to question Naruto’s value to him now. The omega’s instincts were strong enough that even his brother’s implication made Sasuke’s nose wrinkle up.

“Can I?” He asked, his finger hovering slightly away from his brother’s body.

“Yes, of course.”

Sasuke used his own eyes, and as Itachi had described, there was a tiny ball of light, and something like a basket of Itachi’s energy cradled around it. He touched lightly and felt that Itachi’s stomach was still fully flat under his black clothes. He did the math in his mind. He must have been about a month pregnant when he’d missed his heat. Fourteen days later had been the full moon, which is when Itachi and Kushina would have mated. “She got you first go,” Sasuke realized with a shiver. How lucky he’d been then, not be caught by her at that time. If Naruto hadn’t made it, she surely would have owned him that night.

“I’d already been opened,” Itachi reminded him. “There was no shock to be had, only…” Sasuke covered his ears, and Itachi broke into a laugh. Another light touch brushed over his stomach. “You’re at your third?”

“How did you know?” Sasuke asked because he’d only told Kushina and not given her any sense of a time-line.

“That new moon two cycles before this one, you were at the Uchiha clan causing problems, I heard.” The fact that he wouldn’t have been able to do that with Naruto tied deep inside him didn’t need to be said. Sasuke blushed.

“So you’re here to see what will happen to you?” Sasuke asked, folding his arms. He elbowed his brother lightly. “The first time you come over here is a selfish reason.”

“Yes. You got fat,” Itachi teased, pinching his sides.

“I’m not fat. Look at my arms,” Sasuke snapped, slapping his -he felt- pretty impressive biceps. Itachi laughed. Then he produced an apple from his pocket and rolled it in his palms. “Are you going to give me that or just fondle it?” Sasuke asked, hearing his stomach rumble softly. He was always hungry lately. The baby’s hunger taking his body for a ride, Naruto and Sakura said.

“When you get mad, your cheeks wobble,” Itachi snickered.

“You’re lying,” Sasuke hissed, covering his cheeks with his hands. There was no way he’d gained so much weight.

“It is nice to see you well-fed,” Itachi purred fondly, rubbing his cheek on Sasuke’s even though the younger brother was struggling to push him away and take the apple at the same time. “I’ll have to thank the boy when I see him, but I think I scared him.”

“Get out,” Sasuke hissed, giving up and turning his back to his brother. “See you in three months again, or not.”

“Hold on, hold on,” Itachi soothed. “I was acclimating to a new mate. There were quite a few furrows to press out.”

“Kushina didn’t want you around Naruto because of what you did,” Sasuke corrected, accepting half of the apple as a bribe. “… but you could have asked for me.” He bit it, and it was sweet and crisp. “I would have come.”

“You also vanished for three months,” Itachi reminded Sasuke, biting into his half. Where had he gotten this fruit, Sasuke wondered- wasn’t it too cold?

“We weren’t neighbors then,” he argued hotly. “I had to run for my life.”

“I’m trying to sit and catch up with you now,” Itachi laughed.

“You have until I finish this,” Sasuke allowed. “Where did you get it, anyway?”

“Kushina has a large cellar, and these things last in the cold.” Then, Itachi pulled him closer, shaking him lightly. Sasuke sparked just a little bit, out of spite. But the knowledge of Itachi’s unborn child made sure Sasuke kept it to the level where it could only annoy his elder brother. Itachi tutted, holding Sasuke against himself until the younger omega gave up, letting his weak lightning die down with a frustrated huff. “You weren’t always this prickly, you know?”

“Sorry, my personality has changed since being unrepresented,” he replied sarcastically. He licked his fingers and found that he wasn’t satisfied. He looked at his elder brother and pouted, and Itachi indulgently gave him the rest of his own apple half. Satisfied that his powers as the baby-brother still worked, he munched happily at the rare sweet. “What do you think they will be like when they come?” Sasuke asked, touching his stomach. Itachi’s nose scrunched up. “What does that face mean.”

“Well, your mate…” Itachi began his mouth twitching. “And you-” a soft hum. Sasuke didn’t like the sound of Itachi’s tone at all. “Hard to imagine it all combining into one personality.”

“Maybe we’ll balance out,” Sasuke wondered, trying to be optimistic.

“Maybe they’ll be the most neurotic person to be born.” Sasuke gasped and turned to pinch his brother as viciously as he could. Itachi laughed, dodging and smacking away his hands. “I’m only teasing.”

“Your child with that crazy alpha is going to be a psychopath,” Sasuke accused, not giving up.

“Hahahahaha,” Itachi’s laugh was a little too unhinged. Sasuke shrank away. “Is that so?” Itachi took Sasuke’s wiggling away as an opening to turn and viciously pinch the younger omega’s sides in return.

“Stop,” Sasuke shouted. “Stop~” he begged, grabbing both his brother’s hands. “You weren’t always this friendly.” Itachi shrugged. “Maybe both our personalities have changed.” Itachi was hard to keep hold of, and Sasuke couldn’t keep away from his pinching. “I liked you better when you were dying,” he hissed, letting himself crackle briefly with lightning to make his brother stop.

“What a cruel thing to say,” Itachi mock gasped. Then his expression became more serious, and his hands stilled. Sasuke stopped struggling, watching his brother curiously. Itachi touched the back of Sasuke’s head and pressed their foreheads together. “I’m sorry I failed you at that time. I was too weak to do anything but survive, and make sure you did. Because I’d been ill so long, my grasp on reality became weak. I thought any form of survival was enough.”

His brother’s thumbs stroked his temples, and Sasuke let out a soft purr of happiness. He’d never dreamed of such an apology from any member of his family- and he was just glad that both of them had managed to get away. “Even then, I knew it would not make you happy.”

“You still understood and helped me in the end. And thank you for giving me this fire.” They’d pretty much killed Kisame together, with Naruto’s help. So Sasuke couldn’t even blame Itachi that much.

“I’ve noticed you becoming stronger,” Itachi praised. “It’s Uchiha tradition to allow the alpha to train their omega, but I can’t help but regret I didn’t teach you more.”

Sasuke jumped to his feet, his previous moment of nausea long forgotten. “It’s not too late,” he urged, sticking his hand out to help Itachi stand. “Want to spar?”

“I don’t see why not,” Itachi decided, grabbing Sasuke’s hand and pulling himself up. “I do have plenty to teach you, now that I’m no longer ill.” Sasuke hurriedly got dressed, putting on just enough layers to go outside. It was snowy out, but it was midday, so other than thick boots, he didn’t need to be so warm. They’d be moving a lot- he imagined.

“Is that your excuse for how weak you were before?” He asked, doing his best not to bounce with excitement. He wanted Itachi to think he was an adult, not the baby brother he probably held in his mind.

“You always let your mouth get ahead of you.” Itachi picked up a fine sword from a rack near the door. “Hmm,” he mused.

“Naruto gave that to me,” Sasuke told him.

“A fine sword, no doubt,” Itachi decided, unsheathing it an inch to inspect the edge, and then sliding it back into place. He lifted it slightly. “May I?”

“You’re using it?” Sasuke asked. He had thought they would spar with hands and feet, but his brother wanted to use blades.

“Well- it’s been a while since I’ve been in such a fit state- and we two are even a bit sturdier than most humans now, no?” Sasuke was surprised but relieved that he and Itachi seemed so similar, now that his elder brother wasn’t so exhausted all the time.

He hadn’t seen Itachi like this since before he’d presented. “I missed this version of you, Itachi,” Sasuke admitted with a smirk, deciding to borrow Naruto’s best sword to face down his brother. “Let’s go,” he agreed, lifting the sword to show he agreed with Itachi’s proposition.

They opened the door and went outside. The freshly fallen snow crunched under Sasuke’s feet. The two omega found a small clearing where they could stand a distance apart from each other. Sasuke’s body was on high alert. He knew, though not from experience, how deadly his brother was.

Even if Itachi had no plans to hurt him, the way he drew his sword and appraised Sasuke as he tested the weight of the weapon in his hand was enough to make his instincts scream at him to be careful.

He drew his sword and took a deep breath. He didn’t see Itachi move, and his eyes activated, only barely in time to force Sasuke’s arm up to block his brother’s direct rush.

“You’re quick,” Itachi complimented cooly, withdrawing several steps. Knowing how quick Itachi was, made Sasuke feel like his opponent was still too close. But as he’d learned from Naruto, he knew he couldn’t back too far up without losing his ability to attack.

Itachi didn’t give him much more time to think. He struck at Sasuke quickly, and from every angle. It seemed he was testing where Sasuke could parry from and where he would miss. The bottom left was an opening, Sasuke learned, as Itachi’s blade glanced off his leg and a sudden, fiery sensation shot up from his calf. He didn’t let himself fall.

“Too slow.” Itachi scolded, tsking softly. Sasuke slashed at Itachi, thinking he saw an opening, but Itachi twisted his arm in a maneuver that looked like it required a lot of flexibility. In short, his blade was deflected and nearly cut him when the impact sent it singing back towards him. Sasuke dodged and nearly dropped his weapon in doing so. It was hard to yank it through the air when he moved quickly.

“Wasted movement,” Itachi sighed patiently. He struck again, and it cut Sasuke’s clothing as it flew right by his ribs. The young omega gasped, his hand flying to the mark to make sure it wasn’t going to threaten the child. “Are you even looking?” He was! He was looking, but Itachi was a blur. He nodded, dodging another swipe. He hadn’t been ready to parry. He had to think while moving. “You’re looking too much.”

“Tell me, how am I supposed to look?” Sasuke hissed, putting his hand against the flat of his sword and angling it so it would shoot Itachi’s blade upward, mirroring one of his brother’s previous moves. The metallic grinding of the two blades was both grating and exciting to his ears.

Itachi looked vaguely impressed. Maybe that was why he hinted: “Guide your eyes, do not let them own you. You have to decide what you need to see, or they will try to capture everything.” Sasuke tried to focus on Itachi’s sword and his arms and hands' movements as he wielded it. Telltale signs began to emerge to the omega’s vision. Certain grips and shifts in his brother’s arms would predict certain swings and attacks.

He was getting good at judging it but toppled with a shout when Itachi’s left leg shot out and knocked both his out from under him. He gritted his teeth as he hit the ground, feeling his face burn with embarrassment. “Better, but take care not to narrow it too far.” Sasuke nodded, a bit ashamed. It should have been obvious.

They sparred this way for hours until Sasuke’s body trembled from exertion. Eventually, he had to put his hand up and surrender. Compared to Itachi, his stamina seemed nonexistent. His elder brother was breathing hard, and that was it. “You’re… almost passable,” Itachi decided. He pushed Sasuke lightly, so his body would touch the tree behind him. “Rest, little brother,” Itachi told him, and Sasuke rested his back more solidly against the tree, leaning on it.

He was pleased with this training. His body felt strong, and he knew he’d been getting faster. He’d even managed to shallowly cut Itachi’s cheek with one of his forward thrusts. Though he was marked many more times, he knew it was a lack of experience that placed him below his brother, not ability. He could learn more of what his brother knew and get much stronger. “Elder brother, you are terrifying,” Sasuke panted, feeling himself smiling with excitement. “No wonder Naruto ran away from you.”

“He’s still growing,” Itachi reminded him with a snicker. He raised his eyebrows at Sasuke. “You two look close in age, though. Can you defeat him?”

With what he’d learned about his eyes from Itachi, the balance had tilted a bit in his direction. “It depends,” Sasuke admitted. “But he certainly wouldn't leave a fight with me unhurt.” He was proud that he’d recently found he could snap bones with the force in his body. “I can render him immobile as well.” Naruto had looked at him differently after that, so he hoped the alpha would take him more seriously as a warrior. Naruto had never, could never, fight Sasuke all out, just because he loved him. And that thought made him happy and annoyed at once. But even then, Sasuke still wanted Naruto to see and understand what the omega was capable of.

Itachi nodded approvingly. “Omega like us, with great power, can't allow just anyone to place a child in our womb.”

“I approve of him.” Sasuke found that he didn’t feel the need to defend Naruto’s strength to Itachi. Naruto was as strong as Sasuke could bear him to be, and as kind as he could take. The alpha would get even stronger if Itachi’s assessment was right, and the omega was hoping he would grow in strength to match. Since the completion of their bond, Sasuke had been content.

“Your fighting skill after observing him improves my opinion of him. He’s taught you well,” Itachi admitted. Sasuke puffed up with pride. He was pleased both that his mate was a good fighter and that he’d managed to pick it up to his brother’s satisfaction. “Alphas like those are easier to grab early too.”

“You think if I waited, I wouldn’t have been his match?”

“You would have been his match, but you wouldn’t have been his first,” Itachi corrected. “If he was full-grown, another omega with a better reputation would have beaten you out. It’s always better to be first, or at least, only.” Sasuke shrugged. Itachi seemed to think, then added. “You seem to be getting along well with the girl.”

“We’ve reached an understating,” Sasuke replied diplomatically.

“It must be easier for you when now you know your child will have clear primary succession.” Sasuke winced. He had thought that he was ashamed to admit. “You’re a more suited omega as well. I must compliment you on managing to hold it so far.” Sasuke put a hand on his belly. He was pleased about still being with-child, naturally. He hadn’t been able to show it much, unwilling to be callous towards his second.

There still wasn’t much to see- but once in a while, he felt unusual sensations, slight movements inside him that reminded him of that small life. “Though it's a tragedy, she will understand her place better beneath you, this way,” Itachi decided, nodding.

“That’s too vicious, Itachi,” Sasuke sighed, hating the relief he had felt for that exact reason. But his instincts weren’t him. He didn’t have to be that if he didn’t want to. He didn’t.

“You don’t have to lie to me,” Itachi replied. “You can tell me the hateful things in your mind. I won’t judge you. We are both witches, are we not?” There was dark humor in his voice, and there was that word.

Brushing aside his brother’s apparent disdain for Hinata, he needed to know: “What does that even mean?” Hiashi Hyuuga had called him that, he remembered. It hadn’t sounded kind.

Itachi’s eyes widened in realization. “You are more sheltered than I even realized.” Sasuke chose that to mean Naruto had kept him safe. The word had a sharp tone to it, and if Naruto had prevented most people from calling Sasuke it, it was appreciated. “Perhaps it's better to let you live in ignorance,” the elder omega mused. “Just know we are kindred spirits by more than just brotherhood.”

“No,” Sasuke snapped. If he hadn’t had to endure slurs often, just as well. Now that he knew about it, though, he’d rather not remain ignorant. “Tell me.”

“Your lightning,” Itachi finally replied. Sasuke nodded. He’d thought it had something to do with that. He rarely saw people using elements the way he and Itachi did. Other Uchiha seemed to carry smaller forms of the ability or had affinities for fire. But his and Itachi’s powers were different, on another level.

“This?” Sasuke asked, letting his hands spark with it.

“Yes.” Itachi set his black fire to a branch that protruded from the freshly falling snow at their feet. “It marks you.” Sasuke let his lightning die out, and Itachi extinguished his flame. He seemed to control it so easily, while Sasuke had fire and lightning slipping away from him because he was pregnant and excited. “Most cannot change the nature of their energy. Or only with great focus and many hand-signs. You simply call it into being.” The same went for Itachi’s flames obviously, which he’d somehow, through a deep look, transferred to Sasuke. “When others see these things, see omega born to abilities which fall outside the realm of their rigid traditions, they call us witches.” He smirked. “The Uchiha is known to produce them.”

“Why are the Hyuuga not called witches,” Sasuke asked, folding his arms. Their eyes were not activated by hand signs or training. “Or all Uchiha? Our eyes can’t be achieved with training. Why not any bloodline?”

“Because alpha can also carry those eyes. Only certain omega have these abilities. It overturns what they believe about us being weaker.” Itachi paused. “Also because we didn’t ally with the Senju. We used to be called priests or priestesses instead. But things change.”

“Just like that?” Sasuke asked. It made sense, but it also seemed like a joke.

“They want it to be an identifier, but it's just a political term for an omega they view as a threat. You understand.” He did. And it pissed him off. Naruto had never called him that, and realizing what it meant made him glad of it. It was an arbitrary term for an omega you whose strength you couldn’t control. The Uchiha clan happened to make strong omega with strong personalities. And strong abilities they perhaps… couldn’t always control. As if he’d heard Sasuke’s thoughts, Itachi added. “There is also… the factor of emotion. An Uchiha’s abilities, whether alpha or omega, are tied directly to the intensity of their emotions.”

“Do you also… slip as I do?” Sasuke asked, flushing with embarrassment. “I got quite good at controlling it, but then I became pregnant, and now I have so much chakra it’s like when I was younger again.”

Itachi gave him an amused look. “You know about my heats, don’t you?” And Sasuke felt stupid. Of course, it happened to Itachi. “Do you think I would voluntarily do such a thing?” It was the whole reason he was here. No matter how calm and cool he acted, he was boiling inside, just like Sasuke. After he was done feeling silly, the young omega felt deeply relieved, and Itachi smiled at him in understanding.

“... I’ve been finding the flames very useful,” Sasuke admitted.

“I’m sure you have, and I was glad to give it,” Itachi replied. “But the lightning is closer to your core, as you presented it first, and I think you should return to it, even if it is tricker to utilize in emergencies.” It was good advice. Itachi was right. Though as an Uchiha, the flames were close to him, his lightning did feel more natural. “You should try to enhance it in as many ways as you can.”

Sasuke nodded seriously. “Yes, I will.” He would have to get a bit creative with it, but his lightning hadn’t failed him. It was a deep part of him, and if he just used fire because it was easier, he wasn’t reaching his full potential. He could learn to something with lightning that would impress even Itachi. After all, his ability was unique.

…

“Naruto,” Sasuke purred upon finding his alpha. He approached the alpha where he sat tending their fireplace and nuzzled his cheek. Sasuke put his arms over the alpha’s shoulders and leaned his weight onto him, enjoying the heat his mate’s body produced.

“What is it?” Naruto laughed, putting his hands under Sasuke’s thighs to lift the omega fully into his lap.

“I want something,” Sasuke told the alpha, completely ignoring his brother’s ideals. What did Itachi know anyway? This was Sasuke’s mate, and he would decide what Naruto should risk or not.

“What?” Naruto breathed instantly, pressing kisses to his collar. “I’ll get it for you,” he promised. Sasuke purred. It was just as he’d predicted. “Don’t tell me you finally got sick of wearing my clothes?” the alpha teased, still peppering Sasuke with kisses.

“That’s next,” Sasuke decided. Sure, he was fine wearing Naruto’s things, all of which were nicer than anything he’d worn as an Uchiha, but if he was allowed to choose… he might prefer some trousers or perhaps even pierce his ears. “First, something fine and rare,” Sasuke told him. “You decide.”

“Really?” The alpha asked, squeezing Sasuke’s sides. The omega nodded, giving Naruto a sweet kiss he hoped would inform what the alpha chose to give him. “Because I-” Naruto bit his lip. “Well, I didn’t know whether you’d accept it or not, but my sire said I should give you something for conceiving. So I did find it, but then I hesitated.”

“What do you have?” The young omega asked, his anticipation rising. This confirmed Itachi knew nothing, at least not about Sasuke’s alpha. Sasuke’s body unconsciously pressed against his alpha’s, and when he noticed it, he shifted back slightly, a little embarrassed with how excited he was about a simple gift.

Naruto set Sasuke back onto the rug, then placed a brief kiss on his lips before turning away. “Wait here.” Sasuke felt a little thrill in his heart as Naruto pulled out a small embroidered silk purse, and from there, pulled out a small item that he somehow kept out of Sasuke’s sight. The omega gave a little hiss, grabbing at the alpha’s wrist, and Naruto snickered before letting him see.

“What do you think?” It was a ring. “I guessed the size of your fingers,” Naruto admitted. Sasuke’s fingers grazed Naruto’s palm as he picked it up. It was satisfyingly heavy. “So try it around.” It fit best on the middle finger of his left hand. He felt something between that finger and the next and twisted it around to align the gem to the top of his hand. “Silver and- a black diamond.” It was silvery grey, and a faceted geometric shape set deep enough into the metal that it wouldn’t snag on anything.

“I asked for something indestructible because of how violent you are, and I picked that gem cut because of your eyes when you make fire,” Naruto admitted, blushing. “It’s not too flashy, is it? I know you like things simple-” Sasuke threw his arms around the alpha and rained kisses onto him. “Oh, oh-” Naruto laughed, kissing him back. The alpha’s warm hands squeezed his waist affectionately. “You like that?” Sasuke nodded, fiercely pleased with the dense weight on his finger. “I’m glad.”

Naruto caught the glimmer of the purse behind Naruto and leaned over him to snatch it up. “Hey, wait!” Naruto complained when he twisted around and saw, but Sasuke’s motion pushed him onto his back, with the omega sitting astride him. Unless he wanted to throw both his mate and unborn child, he had to put up with it. Sasuke smirked, opening the drawstring as Naruto tried to squirm out from under him without tipping him over. “Those aren’t yours.” Sasuke pulled out the two carved stone bunny earrings. Each of them was a shimmery purple-gray and showed a gleaming star on their backs that shifted with the light.

“Sapphires for Hinata,” Naruto told them. “I wanted you two to sort of match.” Gray stones for both of them, but with different tints and different designs. Both were extremely personal, though the undertone suited them both. “But-”

Sasuke understood. he hadn’t given it to her because he was afraid it would make her more depressed about failing to express the seal and properly take to Naruto and her child. “We should match,” Sasuke encouraged, tucking the bunnies back into the silken purse. “Give them to her anyway,” Sasuke instructed simply. It had been long enough, and a gift would probably cheer her up.

“You sure?” Naruto asked. Sasuke could tell he wanted to give them to her, but he’d been skittish around her since she’d bled. He hadn’t been able to make any decisions. Luckily Sasuke was a decisive sort… when it was about what others should be doing.

“Yes.”

Naruto fidgeted nervously but nodded and seemed to center his resolve. Sasuke followed, wanting to see how Hinata reacted after all. He was fairly confident she’d be happy, but if she wasn't, he wanted to take part of the blame. “Hinata,”

Naruto murmured, kneeling beside her. “I got these for you.”

“Is it really all right to accept them?” She asked, her eyes widening. Sasuke was relieved. He’d guessed right. He could tell by her expression and the way she bit her lip that she wanted them badly. They were just her style and also a physical representation of her alpha’s affection. They must please her immensely. The grey looked excellent when Naruto held them to her earlobes, and she posed prettily for him, tilting her head so he could see them drop against her neck.

“Of course it is,” Naruto promised her. “They’ll look so pretty on you. It would be a shame for them to sit in a purse any longer.”

Hinata nodded and quickly switched her purple crystals for her alpha’s gifts. She tipped her head from side to side. Like Sasuke, she seemed to like feeling the cool stone bunnies and metal fastenings warming up to her skin. Naruto kissed her, and she melted into him, giving her whole body into his embrace.

“What did you get?” She asked Sasuke, searching him. He placed his fingertips on her knee so she could look. She traced the ring, then turned his hand so she could see it catch the light. “Oh, good job, love. It suits him,” she praised Naruto.

“I’m glad I could make you smile like this,” Naruto told her, clearly relieved. He gave Sasuke a grateful look, thanking him for his earlier suggestion.

“I’ll be even happier to receive another gift next year,” Hinata added, still cuddled up to her alpha.

“I know,” Naruto answered, stroking her hair. “Next year,” he confirmed. She nodded, satisfied that he was going to try with her again. Satisfied, she switched to Sasuke, shifting nearer to him.

“For now… I still must bring children to this household,” Hinata told him softly. “But I can't-“ She seemed calm, even though the things she was speaking about should upset her.

“Let me have this child before you try again,” Sasuke suggested. “If we- if it lives, then I know how strong you need to be to carry, and I can get you there.”

“You’ll train with me?” She asked, her eyes widening with surprise.

“Yes,” he promised. Was there a reason she was pressed so close to him? Her mood said she didn’t need comfort, but she had her dedicate hands on either side of him, and she pressed a small kiss to his cheek.

“Give me yours instead. I know it won’t hurt me,” she revealed. Sasuke froze. He’d forgotten about that.

“It’s not too soon?” he asked to be sure.

She shook her head. “I’m entering heat after all, and Sakura says that means I’m ready.” No wonder she’d been so clingy with Naruto before. Sasuke noticed the flush on her cheeks for the first time. He wasn’t an alpha, definitely not a prime, so unless he got close and took a deep inhale, she didn’t smell that different. When he did, though- it was a little addictive, like... he couldn’t stop.

When he pulled away, he was only able to stay apart from her for a moment before he found himself nuzzling into her throat again. Sweet, like ripe plums. He barely could resist biting into her, even as a fellow omega. “She’s been healing me,” Hinata giggled, putting up with what he was doing. Her fingers touched his nape, petting the shorter strands.

“An omega child,” he murmured.

“An Uchiha child is no waste of time,” she replied, correcting him. “There won’t be any omega born here otherwise, and I shudder to think of my life with all those alpha running around, without a pretty omega to call my own.” Hinata giggled. Sasuke smirked. He could just imagine the two of them, drowning in Naruto’s rowdy alpha offspring. “I’m sure she’d be beautiful, and if she’s anywhere near as strong as you-” Sasuke was flushing at her appraisal of his strength, and Hinata broke off, smiling at being able to make Sasuke so flustered.

“Just for the meantime,” Sasuke decided. “Naruto will cry if you don’t give him one eventually.”

“Ah right,” Hinata chirped. She twisted around. “Naruto-” she pleaded softly, laying her head on Sasuke’s shoulder.

“You already have my permission,” their alpha sighed.

“I know. I just want you,” Hinata laughed, stretching out her hand. “I hate you over there pouting like that.”

He kissed her offered palm, kneeling in front of her. “Then let me-” Naruto pleaded, pushing her hem up and baring her thighs. She spread her legs for the alpha, and Sasuke watched as Naruto began to devour her.

“Oh-” Hinata cooed, shaking. She tugged on his hair, showing their alpha where she wanted to be licked. Naruto was working hard if her soft shouts were anything to go by. When she’d come a few times, and the sweet scent had filled the entire sleeping room, she finally pushed him away. “Do Sasuke now,” she suggested sweetly.

Naruto rose from between her thighs, his mouth shining with her slick. Her body must have been well prepared to mate by then. Sasuke wasn’t sure what made him throb with need, but it was intense, looking at them. “You won’t tell?” Naruto asked, flushing. Sasuke remembered that Hinata had missed that by being ill. Naruto hadn’t shown that to her yet. But she’d guessed, or her arousal had, and it seemed Naruto didn’t plan to hide it from her.

“Never,” she promised earnestly. Sasuke took himself in hand, holding it out so Naruto could seal his hot, wet mouth around and suck. She gasped as Naruto didn’t let pleasuring Sasuke stop him from rhythmically thumbing her clit. The alpha took Sasuke to the base, slowly working his way forward until his nose brushed Sasuke’s tummy. Naruto swallowed, and the omega gasped as his mate’s throat convulsed wetly around him.

Sasuke curled his fingers in his alpha’s thick yellow hair and thrust, feeling his stomach tighten as the alpha submitted to being used like that. As Sasuke moved, the alpha whimpered softly, looking up at Sasuke with obedient and trusting blue eyes that glimmered with small unshed tears. Sasuke felt himself get harder, allowing him to nudge his way further into the alpha’s throat.

Naruto choked, his eyes fluttering as his body begged for air. Sasuke tugged him off, gave him a few seconds to gasp for it before tugging lightly to remind his mate to take him again. Naruto stroked him by hand, licking the tip, and letting his hot breath puff out over the sensitive tip. Sasuke tugged again, harder, and this time the blond’s mouth descended onto him again, and Sasuke groaned as Naruto deepthroated him, bobbing his head slowly in the omega’s lap.

Sasuke was achingly hard, not only from Naruto working him but also from watching Hinata’s submissive squirming. She was tipped up and open. Her entrance twitched with hunger, and Naruto’s thumb was gleaming with thick streams of slick. Sasuke wanted her for himself. “Go away,” he told the alpha, pushing him off both of them. Naruto whined as Sasuke fell from his mouth, letting the omega’s rock hard member stand proudly against his pale stomach. “You can’t do any more.”

“Okay,” Naruto agreed, though he seemed reluctant to back away. Sasuke took place on all fours and pulled on Hinata’s hip so she’d line herself up.

“You’re so mean to him,” Hinata teased, obediently sliding underneath Sasuke, showing her soft, pale belly. He touched her there, liking her show of submission. Her hips tipped up against him, offering him everything, encouraging his palm to shift down her navel until he was feeling his fingers move through her slippery warmth.

“I don’t want to do it with you as he does it,” Sasuke decided, rubbing her slowly, even as her body quivered, trying to twist against his touch for more stimulation. “Even if he’s just behind me, or on the other side,” he murmured lowly in her ear, watching her flush deeper. “Let’s take our time.” She’d been through enough. Let there be something gentle for her.

“O-okay,” she whispered, her eyes showing a little surprise. She hadn’t been holding much control for herself, but that soft, almost shy whisper felt like it relinquished everything into his hands. Sasuke kissed her- and it felt strange at first; Her mouth was so soft and lacked sharp fangs, and she seemed shy, letting him lead. Then quickly, it didn’t.

Her kisses were actually… intoxicating. Her mouth was sweet, and when he tasted her, her tongue peeked out to greet his in soft endearing touches. She made soft, shivery sounds of pleasure.

“I like this with you, Sasuke,” she moaned. She seemed to lose patience with his slow touching and whimpered, twisting her leg around his back and trying to shift him closer. “You’ve been holding out on me.” Her hand on his nape and that soft stroking up against the grain of his hair was also really pleasurable. He bowed into it and kissed her again, deeper that time.

“Is it good?” He asked. “Or would you like more?”

“More-” Hinata begged, kissing the underside of his jaw in a way Sasuke had seen enough omega to do Naruto. Her soft mouth there felt pleasing. It was a vulnerable spot, and allowing the light touch of someone’s mouth there as a sign of deference- It made his cock twitch hard against his belly. “Please, more,” she sighed.

The next stage then, though he wasn’t sure he was quite done teasing her. She gasped in anticipation when he took himself in hand and rubbed the tip against her, then a whine of denial as he let it glide past her entrance to bump against her clit.

“Don’t-” she pleaded, her breath hitching. She shifted with intention, and he slipped into her, just a bit- but she was so warm and wet that Sasuke couldn’t bring himself to pull out. Instead, he allowed himself to slowly sink deeper, feeling her springy slickness surround him. It was fine if he was caught. It felt sweeter than he’d expected.

“There,” she praised, folding her arms around him. Sasuke moved against her, gently, slowly. “Soft,” she echoed, her movements mirroring his. She gave a soft moan of satisfaction. Her lashes brushed his cheeks. “Sasuke-” it wasn't often she said his name. Hearing her call him ‘precious first’ made him feel superior, but hearing his name breathed out this way by her excited him.

He’d been worried that he wouldn’t be able to bring her anything compared to Naruto, but apparently, there was more than size to count for. She gasped and moaned for him, and made pretty pleasured faces, and begged him for more. “Deeper-” she asked. Sasuke gave, molding himself firmly against her. Hinata let out a cry, nodding her approval. He gave it to her slow, but deep as he could, and she whined softly each time he pressed against her depths until her body broke into weak shudders. He could feel her cumming, and choked from the pleasure as he felt her tighten and undulate. It was intense. “I want you to come too,” she gasped, pulling him closer and squeezing him.

Sasuke’s control slipped, and he released. “Stay like that. I can’t knot you,” he told her, brushing back her hair.

“It’s fine,” she allowed, smiling serenely. She kept moving lightly on him, caressing him with her slick wetness till he was hard again. Her scent rose and helped that along speedily, something about it making him stiff again in seconds. “We’ll just do it again,” she breathed, shuddering as his renewed erection caught against something sensitive deep within her.

“This makes me feel something,” he admitted, drawing his finger through the seed that was leaking from her on either side of him. They both shivered from his touch.

“Oh, does it?” She teased, lightly, nuzzling him. “You’re not used to it?” To be honest, he wasn’t. Even as a male omega rather than a female one, mating with someone this way was not something he’d been raised to expect.

“Female omega have their special charms, it’s true,” Sasuke admitted, kissing her again.

He moved to pull away and take a breath of air that was not full of her dizzying scent. The further she descended into her heat, the stronger it got. “No, stay.” Her creamy thighs held him down. She felt like endless warmth inside. He laid his head against her shoulder and let her fever take him as well. “More.” Sasuke kept thrusting, moving against her. The fever he’d caught from her told him with certainty that they’d fuck until one of their bodies gave out.

“Hinata,” he gasped, coming again. His head swam. He had to give her more, his instincts said. But when he came again, what felt like minutes later, his body told him he was done, at least for a little while.

“Doing it gently like that-” Hinata breathed against his jaw. “I can for hours.”

He managed to wiggle free, Hinata letting him slip away once she really couldn’t get him to become hard again. “This is done,” he admitted.

“So?” She laughed, pulling him down beside her. She walked her fingers lightly along his thigh, and he gasped, feeling them slip into him. “I bet I know this even better,” she sang, slinging a thigh over him just for the feeling of closeness. She kissed him fondly, pressing warmth all over his face.

He came, and came, and came. Hinata did know the receptive sex particularly well. After she’d had him for a few minutes, he was already made only of hitching nerves, all strung together too tight until she let him unravel. “Stop, stop-” Sasuke gasped, laughing. “I don’t want to come anymore.” He grabbed her wrist and pulled it to the other side of his hip, panting for breath. “Just-” he begged, closing his eyes and feeling all the pleasure radiating out through his body.

“Now we’re done,” Hinata allowed, cuddling up to him. “But I could still…” she sighed. “really use a knot.”

“Yeah, I bet you could,” Sasuke teased. “But we can’t have that right now. I’ll just have to do.”

“Mmm,” Hinata agreed, definitely a bit disappointed. He’d have to make it happen for her again soon, he thought, and he felt his body begin to respond, but not enough to use. “Naruto, my dear, how’s it been?”

“He’s just been there?” Sasuke hissed, sitting up. His eyes opened themselves, and he spotted Naruto peeping in through a crack in the sliding door. He got up and stalked over, sliding the door fully open.

“Uh-” Naruto admitted, “Yeah is that bad?” his hand was clenched around his knot, stroking it slowly. It was red and throbbing- he’d been at the edge for a while.

“You’re pathetic,” Sasuke hissed, ignoring the rush of arousal that went through him to see the alpha that way. A few minutes had passed, and Sasuke’s body was proving itself to be not quite as finished as he thought.

“What? why?” Naruto whined, biting his lip hard.

“Can there be something beautiful between omega that’s not for your viewing?”

“Uhm,” Naruto breathed, struggling against the lack of blood in his head. “Yes?” He decided. But then he flushed and grinned at Sasuke. “But I wanted to view it,” he whined softly. “And I was super hard when you sent me away.”

Sasuke twisted his fist into the alpha’s hair and yanked. “Sasuke!” Hinata shouted playfully, coming to the edge of the bed. She liked it in her nest, her heat was making it like that, but she still wanted to see, so Sasuke pulled Naruto over to the bed with him, making the alpha crawl on his knees. “Won’t you take it easy on him?”

“Hinata says be nice to me!” Naruto cried, gripping Sasuke’s wrist to lessen the yanking.

“Open your mouth, trash,” Sasuke hissed, ignoring his mate’s complaints.

“What a change in personality! You were just so gentle with Hinata!” Naruto cried, making a soft “eep” when Sasuke pressed his half-hard dick to the alpha’s cheek. “Let go, let go!” he laughed.

“Well, you’re already down there… you might as well,” Hinata giggled. Outnumbered, Naruto let out a soft whine and opened his mouth for Sasuke to fill. The first omega purred, thrusting against the blond’s mouth with increasing force as he got more and more hardness to work with. Naruto let Sasuke pop from his mouth with a gasp, and Sasuke could tell the alpha was about to ask to be fucked.

He traced his fingers over Naruto’s reddened lower lip and waited. But before Naruto could shore up the courage, Hinata’s slender fingers closed around Sasuke’s length and tugged him back into her nest. “Actually can I take this back,” she pleaded, fluttering her lashes at him prettily. She put him into position behind her, then bent low on all fours, putting her plump ass, and blossomed female sex into view.

She was in heat, and she smelled amazing, so to Sasuke, the priorities were clear. He gripped her soft waist and pushed her down even more- she let out a soft whimper of submission. His cock slid into her perfectly, and he groaned, feeling her insides grip him tight- wanting to milk seed out of him. In heat, her body’s entirely directive was to conceive, and Sasuke… even as an omega, was still a male after all. How could he resist?

“Hinata-” Naruto whined. “No fair-” It was true that he’d made Sasuke’s hardness for himself… But Hinata felt perfect, and even with Naruto pouting, the omega couldn’t bring himself to feel bad about choosing her.

“I’m sorry, love,” she moaned, pressing her hips back against Sasuke’s, her thick, cushioned thighs wobbling with each impact of his body against hers. “Please understand, I’m only an omega in heat-” she broke off as she came, her body shaking violently. Sasuke felt a sudden suction on his male sex. Her body was embracing him tightly. Before he knew it, he was coming too, his body spilling again.

He kept thrusting, coaxing himself to full hardness as Hinata trembled and cried out under him. Even if he wasn’t an alpha- if they kept this up the next three days, they’d surely have something to show for it. He fucked her at least twice more. Then, his male part gave up completely, laying exhausted and soft against his hipbone. He’d need another break. He wasn’t built like an alpha that way.

Hinata let her hips sink slowly into her soft nest, then rolled over onto her back. She bit her finger enticingly, her eyes flashing with more erotic plans. “Dear Sasuke, if it's against the rules for me to take care of my alpha, you should do it for me.” She sat up, her body just beside his, and curved her fingers underneath him and scissored them out, making Sasuke’s thighs quake, as he fell onto all fours beside her. “Hold him here for me, so I can scent him when he knots,” she murmured in his ear.

“Hinata-” Sasuke gasped, feeling her spread him open and offer him to their alpha. “Heat makes you different.”

“A little bit,” she admitted.

“Well?” Naruto asked, his clawed fingers touching Sasuke’s hip. He was waiting for Sasuke to make his desires plain.

“Come,” the omega allowed. The hand on his hip was immediately joined by the other, and the alpha’s grip tightened. Sasuke bit his lip, feeling his mate impatiently thrust into him. It was true. Naruto had been waiting. Sasuke was so wet from his activities with Hinata that there wasn’t any friction, only the stretch. The omega’s body quivered as Naruto ground the knot into him as well. His opening accepted the alpha’s girth into it with a soft sucking sound, and the feeling forced his body into a spasm.

“Ugh, Sasuke-” Naruto growled lowly, fucking him slow and rough. “Do you know how hard it was for me to just watch you both-” He let the tension of Sasuke’s tight body force the knot out but then pressed it back in, mercilessly teasing the sensitive, elastic flesh at Sasuke’s entrance. “You smell so fucking good- look so fucking sexy doing it to each other.” Sasuke moaned. Being taken from dominant to submissive so quickly made his head spin. “My knot hurt so bad- from not being inside one of you.”

“Naruto-” Sasuke gasped. His body tried to squirm away, not from unwillingness but overstimulation. Things were escalating fast, and he felt too stretched, but Naruto was holding him firmly in place. His thighs twitched, and his eyes rolled back as the knot breached him again. His body convulsed hungrily, tightening hard around the knot to try to keep it in place. But Naruto took it again, and the omega whimpered, feeling saliva run out the side of his mouth as the pleasure owned him. “Stop that-” he gasped. The alpha should give him the knot and let him hold onto it- Sasuke had come too many times already to survive being teased like this.

“Mmm, my love, your scent is wonderful,” Hinata praised from somewhere behind him. He could hear her soft sniffing. Looking behind him confirmed she was leaning on Naruto’s back as he thrust into Sasuke, kissing his throat. She traced her fingers over the muscles in the alpha’s chest.

“Knot him. Let me scent your completion, my alpha.” Hinata’s soft, desirous voice and a spike in her scent dragged them all down.

“Fuck, Hinata,” Naruto groaned helplessly. Sasuke cried out, his hands twisting up the sheets as the knot expanded to its full size, finally trapping him underneath the alpha. His body sang with satisfaction, and his dick jerked, though he had nothing left to spill out.

“Mm,” Hinata moaned, taking deep breaths of their alpha. She was like someone drowning who’d finally reached the surface. “Wow,” There was a soft shuddering behind Sasuke. Then some shifting around. Hinata’s cool palm touched his cheek. “Is that good?” she asked, scenting him as well.

“Mm,” Sasuke replied, still swimming in too much scent and pleasure to speak. Hinata giggled, then after one last kiss, she tucked herself into the corner of her nest, rolling herself up into one of the blankets. Her breathing evened out.

“She passed out,” Naruto chuckled, stroking Sasuke’s hip. His body was warm and numb, just a puddle of afterglow. Naruto’s arm shifted under him, adjusting his position so they could lay comfortably together. “How are you?”

“Tired,” Sasuke admitted. So tired, in fact, that he had few words.

“After all that work, I bet,” Naruto agreed. “You think you got my girl good and pregnant?” The alpha nipped Sasuke’s neck. “If you didn’t, it’s not because I didn’t show you how,” his mate boasted, spreading his hand possessively over Sasuke’s bellybutton. The omega purred, putting his hand over his alpha’s.

“I hope so,” Sasuke confided softly. “I don’t know how many of her heats I can survive,” he admitted. Naruto’s hand was doing a warm, easy stroke over his bellybutton that Sasuke had a suspicion would put him to sleep if he let it go on much longer. “How long do I have before she wakes up?” he yawned.

“Almost overnight, if you’re lucky,” Naruto laughed. “Come closer, have a sleep.”

XXX

“Naruto!” he heard Sakura shout across the courtyard. Her voice was a bit panicked, so he left his two omega to their rest and ran towards the summons.

He ran to the front of the main house and found a huddle formed by Kiba, Neji, and Sakura, clustered around a trembling lump. He recognized the smell of wildflowers. “Is that… Ino?” The blonde was collapsed on the floor just inside the entryway of Kushina’s house, with Sakura, Kiba trying to revive her while Neji used his sight to report on how the alpha was responding. “Ino!” Naruto shouted, kneeling beside her and hoping his voice would reach her.

At first, nothing happened, but Sakura kept her glowing fingers to Ino’s temple. “Naruto,” she eventually breathed, her eyes fluttering open. “Thank goodness I found you.” She seemed to force herself to wake up more, even partially sitting herself up. “Do you know how terrible traveling through the marsh is?” she demanded, wincing as moving agitated a wound on her shoulder.

“What happened? How did you get like this?” Naruto asked, brushing aside the dig at his home environment. It was probably only the head injury that made her think it was important to mention.

“We were having peace talks with the Uchiha,” Ino began. “Trying to bond things between them and Hyuuga. Lady Tsunade reached far the hand of her benevolence and arranged meetings.” She broke off, hissing softly in pain as Sakura tied a piece of fabric tightly around the injury in her shoulder to compress it.

“Okay, and then it broke down?” Naruto asked, worriedly.

“No- that was going passably well,” Ino corrected, shaking her head. “Tsunade was able to reference your marriage to both Sasuke and Hinata as a sign that new generations shouldn’t follow the old conflicts.” Naruto felt a bit of pride at that. “To be honest, to this day, I don’t even know what they are, but I’m defense, so if the town needs defending…” Ino was rambling again, her eyes unfocused. She must have taken some kind of mental attack- and since her powers involved the mind, Naruto knew she was more vulnerable there than some others.

“Yeah, I understand,” he told her, knowing steering her too roughly wouldn’t work. She would get back to the main topic if he waited. “I don’t really know either. And the elders won't tell.”

“So Hanabi,” Ino remembered, clearing up again. “She will be the alpha to head the Hyuuga clan from our generation, and she put a lot of pressure on the current head for civility, and it seemed to be working.”

“Really?” Naruto asked, thinking about her betrayed expression the last time he’d met. “Hanabi did?”

“She seems quite sharp.” Unlike Ino’s explanation, which was meandering left and right.

“So then what happened,” Naruto steered her back to the matter at hand.

“Anyway, we were all sort of patting ourselves on the back for not killing each other yet, and then these weird white men came out of the woods from every direction.” She shook her head, her expression becoming deeply worried. “Many warriors were able to fight their way out, but the civilians-” She bit her lip, and tears showed in her eyes. “All those poor betas.” She shook her head. “The Hyuuga and Uchiha both swore to be ignorant of the cause. Their own were both killed as well, so I believe that.”

“I see,” Naruto mused, though he was bewildered. He wasn’t sure he saw at all. But he would remember this information and probably bring it all to his sire. “A third, mysterious force.” He paused. “Did they take anything, anyone?”

Ino shook her head. “Didn’t seem that way.” Her eyes took on a slightly panicked edge as she tried to remember, and she swayed. Naruto realized he’d pushed her enough for the state she was in. “They… weren’t human. I looked into one’s mind and-” Ino mumbled, her voice picking up speed but losing clarity.

“That’s enough,” Naruto sighed. “You do have a strong spirit, Ino, but even you must need a break.”

She nodded. “Then come back after I’ve slept. This is better acted on quickly. I think I have more to tell you… but-” she rubbed her forehead.

He put his finger on her lips to hush her. “I understand.” He picked her up, and Ino immediately relaxed against his chest, letting her eyes close, and her body went boneless. She’d been told to rest after all. The pink-haired medic immediately stood up too, following. “Sakura, could you please heal Ino?” he asked, grateful she already seemed willing to do it.

“Yes,” she answered immediately. Sakura led him to her room in his sire’s house. Sakura’s eyes intently followed Ino as he set her down and supported her with pillows. “Give me a few hours. I’ll come to get you when she’s ready.” Naruto nodded, leaving them alone together.

He waited nearly a whole day before Sakura came for him. “Naruto,” she greeted, coming around the corner. She waved him towards her. “Ino’s ready to tell you the rest.”

What she told Naruto was disturbing. She repeated what she’d said before, with more clarity, but also added that strange symbols and markings had appeared around the area. Dark rituals were taking place, and forbidden seals were found imprinted into some of the town's stones after the attack.

Naruto needed to speak to Kushina. He followed the scent, and as soon as he could be sure they weren’t in the midst of activities he didn’t want to see, he opened the door. “Sire?” he called, but he didn’t see her. The Uchiha omega was there, lounging around eating lychee fruits. In the middle of winter. Kushina really must be spending a lot to keep him happy. Either she was having them brought from warmer places, or she was preserving them on ice. It was ridiculous no matter which it was. “Itachi, where is my sire?” Naruto asked.

“She’s getting dressed,” Itachi replied. He got up, taking the bowl of fruit with him. “I’ll go speed her along.”

“Thanks,” Naruto replied.

Kushina came out, dressed, but still damp from bathing. She pressed Naruto to her side in a hug and then inspected him carefully from arm’s length. “Tell me why there’s a wounded alpha here,” she asked. “Aren’t you hiding from clan conflicts?”

She licked her thumb like she was about to wipe his face. “Quit it!” Naruto wrinkled his nose and pushed her hand off. He wasn’t a baby. “The three clans were trying to make peace.”

“Hilarious,” Kushina scoffed.

Naruto shook his head. “It was apparently going somewhere.”

“Then why is that girl here, like that?” Kushina asked. She was talking about Ino, all beat up and rushing here to bring him the news.

“Because-” Naruto explained. “Another group attacked them. They were white and looked like men, but regenerated and seemed to have a shared being, instead of separate.”

Kushina was quiet. And her face became very, very grim. “Oh-” she finally replied. “You’ll need to go see right away,” she told him. Her eyes met his, and they were deep red with aggression. There was pain there too, and Naruto became worried. “War is coming.”

“Another one?” he asked softly.

“This war will make the battles you’ve been in look like a festival in the village,” Kushina growled, her eyes low. “Come with me,” she told him, leading him back into her armory. “Take these,” Kushina told him, opening a chest of armor. It was her own, from years ago. Naruto didn’t want to think of a battle that would require a warrior like Kushina to feel like she needed armor.

“Whoa, really?” he breathed. He accepted the heavy chest into his arms. “Thank you,” he told his sire seriously.

“Naruto-” she finally said, then paused.

“Yes?”

“Remember that your life is important,” she told him slowly, taking his face in both of her hands. “It is possible for you to be killed, understand?” she asked, stroking his cheekbones with the tips of her claws.

“I know that,” Naruto answered, grinning sheepishly. He knew he was reckless, and her eyes were telling him to be responsible with himself.

“But I need you to really know it-” Kushina sighed, searching his face. “Before you-”

“If you’re so worried, tell me?” Naruto asked, tilting his head curiously.

“I don’t want to bias you by letting you know too much,” she replied, shaking her head. “It might not be what I fear. Just go see, we’ll discuss when you get back.”

“All right,” he agreed. Kushina kissed his forehead and sent him away.

He crossed the property to find his two mates and let them know. As soon as he entered the structure, he was hit by a wave of their lust-scents. Hinata was still deep in heat, and Naruto took a deep breath of her aroma. Sasuke was affected too, so he knew they must be entwined, trying to make a child.

“I’m sorry to interrupt you two…” Naruto called, knocking at the door-frame. Despite his bad premonition, the sight of his two omega curled up in Hinata’s nest and their slow sensual motions made him smile. “I have some news.”

“One moment, dear-” Hinata moaned, stretching her hand over her head towards him. Even if she thought what he had to say was important, she couldn’t stop. Naruto knelt and laced his fingers with hers, feeling her delicate grip on his hand tighten as Sasuke worked on her. The Uchiha was bathed in sweat. It made his pale skin shimmer from exertion.

His dark hair was stuck to him, curling from the moisture. How long had they been at it? How many times had Sasuke cum in her, how many times had he made Hinata come? Naruto curved his palm along the omega’s neck, and Sasuke let out a brief purr that turned into a pant as he came. Pleasing a heated omega was no small task.

When they’d both come and had a moment to untangle themselves, Sasuke asked, “What happened?”

“The Uchiha, Senju, and Hyuuga clans have unified against another threat,” Naruto told them, kneeling at the edge of Hinata’s nest. Hinata crawled into the alpha’s lap, caressing and scenting him.

“Which would mean?” Sasuke pressed, his eyes full of concern. Unlike Hinata, who was in heat, he seemed to be understanding more.

“I need to go investigate what it means,” Naruto sighed, stroking Hinata’s hair and cradling her close to himself. She smelled divine, and he hated to leave her, but he knew he would have to. “But probably nothing good.”

“Let me come with you,” Hinata pleaded. She’d understood enough to realize he’d be going and that she didn’t want to separate. Naruto got it. He really did. He didn’t want to separate either, but it wouldn’t make any sense for her to leave this safe spot.

Naruto shook his head. That wasn’t happening. “Please stay here,” he told her, petting her cheek and pressing a kiss to her mouth.

“Must I?” She asked pouting. Even though she was unhappy, she clung to him affectionately. He hugged her back, rubbing their noses together. His pretty Hinata. How he’d miss her.

He nodded. “I’m sorry, princess, but because of your recent health, I don’t feel right taking you into danger,” Naruto admitted. That was a solid reason not even she could deny. He knew Hinata would never risk anything happening to another child of hers. “Besides, Sasuke’s baby, though I’m sure it will be the cutest, doesn’t give you any healing. You’d be safer here with Sakura to watch over you.”

“Then let me?” Sasuke piped in, touching his chest. “Since I do have healing.” His eyes challenged Naruto to tell him no. To see if he could find a good enough reason. Naruto knew as their alpha he could make them stay for whatever, or even no reason, but he didn’t want to treat them that way unless he had to.

“You-” Naruto sighed heavily. He’d really rather not take either of them. “Sasuke...”

“I’m fine,” Sasuke promised him. “I’ll go home the moment that changes,” he swore. “I’m from there. Let me help.” And tactically speaking, Naruto shouldn’t turn that down. Sasuke knew those lands much better than Naruto. Not to mention, if the enemies really were supernatural, he might need the help of Sasuke’s eyes.

He nodded slowly, still unsure. “We’ll stop at the house, then move towards your family lands,” he decided.

Sasuke's expression brightened, and he pressed a kiss to Naruto’s mouth, purring softly. “Thank you.” He looked so pleased. “You won’t regret it.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Naruto sighed.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to get into med school, updates might be a little spotty till I take the MCAT again. Sorry.

Due to the midwinter snows, it was best to shelter in caves or covered places. When Sasuke called out and let his mate know he was too tired to go on, Naruto nodded and led them directly to just such a place. It was an earthen burrow, which seemed like it was carved into a hill's foot by some large animal who was hopefully no longer there. Gesturing for Sasuke to wait, Naruto entered, sniffed the air, and took a look around.

“This is a good spot,” he announced, keeping his voice low. Sasuke wasn’t used to Naruto on a mission. He was surprisingly severe and controlled. His voice never got louder than it needed to be for Sasuke to hear, and his usual silliness vanished into a practicality that Sasuke didn’t expect from his alpha. “If your eyes agree, let’s make camp.”

Naruto helped Sasuke take the last few steps down an incline and steadied him with a warm hand on his lower back. Even though this demeanor was new, Sasuke found it suited his mate well. The omega did as the alpha asked, activating his eyes to make sure the area was safe. When he saw only smaller animals and trees nearby, Sasuke nodded and set his pack down.

There were dry leaves and twigs enough to push together with his feet. That done, Sasuke sat and made a fire, and Naruto dropped down beside him with a sigh, pressing his icy nose affectionately against Sasuke’s cheek as they warmed themselves up. Outside, the snow was falling in endless drifts, so he was grateful they had stopped for the night.

“How are you both?” the alpha asked, laying his hand on the outside of Sasuke’s warm layers. “You barely ask to rest. Are you sure you aren’t pushing yourself too hard?” Naruto’s light eyes flickered in the orange light of the fire as he inspected Sasuke’s face for any sign that he was uncomfortable.

“Just fine,” Sasuke replied. Being an efficient partner for Naruto was not without effort, but it was satisfying. He definitely wasn’t hurting himself, though. He could handle this much. It had brought them closer, too. The alpha smiled at him, seeming to accept that. Speaking of satisfying things... In a meaningful tone, Sasuke added, “If I get a bit warmer, I’ll show you how fine.”

“Nah, I believe you,” Naruto chuckled, touching Sasuke’s cheek. “Stay bundled up. It’s cute.” So it had gone entirely over him. The omega stared at his mate, and by force of will, managed not to roll his eyes. Thank goodness Sasuke had the intelligence to contribute to their offspring.

“I meant…” Sasuke sighed, kissing the corner of Naruto’s mouth lingeringly so the blond fool wouldn’t misunderstand again. “You should warm me up.” He pulled on the alpha’s outer layer suggestively. “With your body.” Just in case.

“Oh,” Naruto realized, his cheeks going pink. “Then-” he Sasuke nodded, then reached for his mate to put arms around him. Naruto touched Sasuke’s wrists, making him pause. “Hold on.”

“What?” Sasuke asked, incredulous.

“Sorry!” Naruto called, jumping to his feet and running out into the snow without his cloak or his head covered. Sasuke waited, confused and a little concerned. The next time Naruto returned from the white blur outside, he began fitting heavy pine boughs over the burrow's mouth. “But look.”

“This will help the warmth stay,” Sasuke realized, feeling the heat from the fire begin to build already. Naruto returned to his side, placing a hand on the other side of the omega’s waist. The omega brushed the snow off his alpha and accepted low-temperature kisses until Naruto quickly generated warmth again. Between the male body pressed to his, the pine, and the fire, a slight sweat began to threaten Sasuke’s skin.

Outside, the wind howled, but the piling snow was quieting it little by little. Sasuke worried for a moment about getting out of the hollow in the morning, but then he remembered his partner’s strength. Naruto’s kisses were searing at that point. Sasuke puffed out an overheated breath, and reached for the ties on his cloak, and began to pull them apart, letting his layers come undone into a thick pile under him. He smoothed them against the cool earth to make a small bed. A stream of cold air broke into their shelter, and Sasuke shivered, feeling his nipples contract against the cold. They were more sensitive each day, and when Naruto’s hand came to stroke his body, Sasuke's entire being broke into a shudder.

“Wow,” the alpha breathed, touching Sasuke reverently. “I haven’t seen all your skin like this in days,” Naruto sighed blissfully. Sasuke smirked, enjoying the effect he was having on Naruto. It was true. They hadn’t found reliable shelter like this yet, so all their touches had been brief, and they’d stayed covered. The alpha leaned down and kissed the small rounding of Sasuke’s belly. “Look at you,” the alpha groaned, overwhelmed, spreading his palms over Sasuke’s bare skin. “Ugh, you gorgeous thing.”

“Are you remembering why you stole me?” Sasuke teased, brushing the last drop of melted ice from the alpha’s shoulder before using it to pull his mate closer. They kissed again, and Sasuke hummed out a soft, helpless moan. “You probably miss how I looked then,” he mumbled, feeling a bit self-conscious about the changes in his shape. He knew Naruto liked his scent. He breathed from Sasuke’s throat enough that it was apparent, but he thought his form had been more pleasing when he’d had muscles and when his shifting center of balance hadn’t made him as clumsy.

“You’re sexier now,” Naruto murmured huskily, and he meant it. Sasuke bit his lip. He leaned forward and kissed the alpha deeply, hungrily. He could feel himself getting wetter, feel that desperate, empty pulsing between his thighs. Even though their mating had visibly achieved its purpose, it didn’t make doing it any less exciting- any less pleasurable. Naruto touched Sasuke’s hip and yanked him over, but it had the unintended effect of shaking Sasuke’s body.

Suddenly felt a quickening inside himself, Sasuke gasped. He froze, going still so that the only movement to him was that small watery motion- like a fish swimming in his belly. “Uh oh,” Naruto spoke, his expression confused. He paused in his advances and stroked Sasuke’s cheek. “What’s wrong, lovely?” the alpha asked, biting his lip. He was probably worried he’d hurt Sasuke or jostled him badly somehow.

“Nothing wrong,” Sasuke promised, still slightly out of breath. “Give me your hand.” Naruto placed his palm under Sasuke’s and let the omega move it around. “Can you feel it?” Sasuke asked curiously. Maybe it was still too slight for someone other than himself to sense.

“Just a tiny bit,” Naruto admitted, his eyes sparkling excitedly. “Just a tiny wiggle- I’m scared to press too hard,” he breathed. Then he seemed at a loss for words, taking a breath as if he would speak several times, but then shaking his head and remaining silent. When he began to shed tears, Sasuke was a little alarmed. He put his arms around his mate and held him close, feeling Naruto desperately clutch at him in return.

“What is it?” Sasuke asked, nosing Naruto’s cheek and wiping those tears away. He could feel the unborn child pressing against its father’s palm as it shifted around. It seemed to roll, and it took the breath from him, but after that, it settled down. Something had changed with that feeling, though. Sasuke both awaited and dreaded any further movements. “It’s doing well, isn’t it?”

The blond nodded. “You’re just so perfect.” Naruto then began showering Sasuke’s small bump with kisses. He couldn’t help but laugh, just a little, and he accidentally shrieked a little when those kisses moved up over his chest and his neck and then stole his lips.

“Take your clothes off,” Sasuke reminded, nipping Naruto’s mouth affectionately. The alpha bit him in return, a bit harder, and pushed Sasuke onto his back, playfully enforcing his dominance. One of the hands stayed possessively spread over Sasuke’s small bump. Sasuke helped Naruto undo the ties on his clothes, impatient to feel the heat of bare skin against his. Even with the fire and the pine boughs, he’d feel better when Naruto’s warmth was soaking directly into him.

The alpha shrugged off the fabrics and pressed his body against Sasuke’s, rutting against Sasuke’s hardness with his own. “No teasing, I’ve been walking all day,” Sasuke instructed his mate, shifting his hips up and offering his wetness to the alpha. Naruto’s hands tightened on his hips, tugging him a bit closer. The omega moaned when the tip of the alpha’s member touched him. Naruto let the weight of his dense muscled body push them together, and Sasuke bit down on a whimper. If even Naruto kept his voice low, it felt strange to let his sounds rise and echo through the earthen hollow around them.

The alpha moved slowly but heavily, pressing against Sasuke with his knot on each thrust. The pregnant omega was biting his lip in an attempt to stay quiet, but he gasped out a breath as his mate kissed him deeply, teasing the inside of Sasuke’s mouth with his tongue. Naruto’s grip on his hips tightened, and his thrusts became a little rougher. Sasuke panted, his lips remaining parted and soft whether his alpha was kissing him or not. Naruto kissed him often and intensely, though, and it left Sasuke in a pleasurable, breathless haze as his sensitive inner regions were stroked and pressed by his alpha’s cock.

He came, and Naruto’s eyes narrowed with pleasure from the feeling of Sasuke’s body tightening around him. “Then it feels good?” Naruto asked, grinning. He knew the answer already, the smug bastard. Couldn’t he feel Sasuke quivering against him? Sasuke nodded anyway, willing to please his mate by answering. He touched Naruto’s cheeks with both of his palms and pulled him down for more kisses. His mate's mouth was warm and gentle, but hungry, and with exciting flashes of sharp fangs. Entranced by the sensation of them, Sasuke turned his head and bared his mark.

He felt his body convulse, and his vision burst into fireworks when the alpha eagerly bit down. Sasuke pushed his fingers through the thick hair at the alpha’s nape and pulled him closer. “Yes.” He gasped his approval when Naruto’s bite deepened, and the alpha growled low against his throat. “Tie me,” he gasped, letting his fingernails scrape over the alpha’s powerful flexing shoulder-blades. The alpha shook himself lightly, finding the right position, then pushed his hips against the omega. They both made sounds of pleasure when Sasuke’s body gave in, opening up for the thickness of the alpha’s knot. The pair panted, breathing the same breaths, then kissed passionately as the alpha tied, releasing his seed.

Sasuke purred, even as he climaxed again, his lips moving lazily against the alpha’s. He felt Naruto’s claws pricking his skin and those blond lashes flicking against his cheeks as the alpha pressed close, nuzzling him with equal affection.

“We’re alone together,” Sasuke purred. “Finally.”

“What, you’re not sick of me yet?” Naruto laughed, rolling them over so Sasuke could lay on top of him while tied instead of underneath.

“No. I-” Sasuke began, but then paused. He spread his fingers out on the alpha’s broad chest, feeling Naruto’s heartbeat thumping underneath. He’d almost spilled it again.

“Yeah?” Naruto asked, reaching up and stroking Sasuke’s cheek. It was too late; Naruto had too much hope polling in his big blue eyes. Sasuke had to say it.

“Listen close. I won’t say it that often,” Sasuke warned, closing his eyes as his partner’s thumb moved lightly up over his brow.

“Right,” Naruto breathed softly, near enough to kiss him, but not quite doing it. “Let me hear it,” the alpha begged.

“I love you,” Sasuke murmured, closing the distance. Naruto kissed him back passionately.

“Love you too,” he laughed, rubbing his nose on Sasuke’s. “I love you so much.” Their child shifted again, and Sasuke must have made a recognizable expression because Naruto grinned, gently petting Sasuke’s tummy. “Settle down, you too.” Sasuke let out a breathless laugh. He quite forgot how to inhale and exhale whenever he felt those movements.

He laid against the alpha’s shoulder, getting himself comfortable. Lulled by his mate’s deep and steady heartbeat, he fell asleep before he and the alpha were even able to slip apart.

Sasuke had no dreams, only blissful darkness until morning. When he awoke, seemingly moments later, it was to kisses on his eyelids. He’d been moved onto his side and bundled up with a cloak. Sasuke changed the angle and pressed a kiss to Naruto’s mouth, and let the alpha help him sit up. “Time to go,” Naruto told him gently, rubbing their noses together. He helped Sasuke back into his snow boots, saving the omega the effort of bending at the middle.

Sasuke didn’t whine, but he really could have slept more. He stretched, watching Naruto move around the hollow and prepare their things to travel. All he had to do was dress himself, but he still hesitated to begin moving. Pale sunlight filtered through the tops of the pine boughs that protected them from the wind. Like he’d thought, the snow had partially buried them. Stretching, Sasuke prepared himself for the walk. They had ways still to go; they’d just entered his clan’s lands.

“Here, put this on,” Naruto told him, passing over his orange under-robe.

“Yours?” Sasuke asked, suppressing his distaste as much as possible as he accepted the eye-straining fabric. He shrugged it on, and Sasuke received the next piece of clothing, a deep red layer, then the thick outer part, in yellow. He put on his warm furs, which he’d been laying on. “Where are my things, then?” he asked. They were not his any more than that he preferred their colors: grey, dark blue, white. He’d dug them out of a chest of Naruto’s things, all the same.

“Well-” Naruto grinned sheepishly. “We came on yours, so…” Sasuke nodded, a small smirk ticking his mouth. They'd passed out, still tied, so their combined release definitely would have soaked into all of Sasuke's clothes.

“Then what about you?” Naruto pointed to the corner, where Sasuke’s things were hanging up. Naruto must have scrubbed them with snow and hung them near the fire to dry.

“I’ll wear that one, but it might be damp. I don’t want to risk you catching a chill.” Naruto appraised Sasuke’s appearance, and his nose wrinkled up. “That’s terrible on you. You look like a rooster.”

“You admit it,” Sasuke teased, gripping the alpha’s forearm and standing up. He brushed himself off. “You admit orange is a terrible color.”

“It's terrible for you. It works for my skin,” Naruto argued, going over to Sasuke’s clothes and shrugging them on with a slight shiver. They were still damp, and usually, Sasuke would have demanded equal treatment, but he was quite warm. He was also quite pregnant and thus doing a critical job, so maybe it was fair if he was the one dressed in the dry clothes.

Sasuke sighed. “It doesn’t,” he shot back, feeling the fabric for himself. Even if he wanted to stay bundled, he could do something to prevent his mate from being exposed to the elements. Only one of the layers was damp enough to make Sasuke worry. No matter. He ran his chakra lightly, using the most delicate layer of flames coating his hands to dry Naruto off the rest of the way. “It looks stupid on you too,” Sasuke teased, straightening Naruto’s crisp robes.

The alpha grabbed Sasuke and bowed him over his powerful forearm. Sasuke gasped as the alpha handled him, showing his dominance. “Stop sassing me. Get moving,” Naruto growled, smacking Sasuke’s ass, then digging his fingers into the softened flesh of Sasuke’s thighs. “Quiet now, huh?” His hand wandered and squeezed the other cheek. A zing of heat raced through Sasuke’s body.

“You said to get moving-” Sasuke gasped, squirming in the alpha’s arms. “Don’t-” he whined, feeling his mate’s teasing touch. He pushed Naruto’s shoulder. “Go, walk.” Sasuke knew his voice sounded weak. He’d lost that one, even if Naruto had let him go.

“You’re right.” Naruto grinned, slipping away, and Sasuke’s body protested. He nearly threw himself back into the alpha’s arms, but they shouldn’t couple themselves again, or they wouldn’t get anywhere. Self-control. They had to be mission partners first, then lovers.

“Idiot,” Sasuke complained, following the alpha to the covered opening of their shelter. Naruto smiled, his freckled nose wrinkling with mirth. Then, he kicked down the boughs, pushing the snow out of the way with his body, and Sasuke flinched as an icy gust of wind pricked his face.

Naruto let Sasuke hold onto him as the omega made sure to carefully place his feet on the incline of sliding leaves and frost. Naruto had told him to keep his foot flat, and step from the knee, and place his feet turned slightly sideways instead of facing directly into each step.

Sasuke climbed up from the dim earth into a brightly glittering, white world. Naruto was beautiful to him in Sasuke’s chosen colors. Clad in blue, grey, and white, the alpha seemed part of the image before Sasuke. Naruto grinned at him, pleased to be admired. They held each other's forearms for balance, trudging through the knee-deep snow as they hurried to higher ground.

He was used to these lands, but Uchiha didn’t go out much in snowy weather, and as a child, he’d mostly kept to the paths. He knew confidently where the two of them were, but he’d never been running around in the deep woods like this. He had a lot to learn from Naruto about traveling unseen.

When they eventually stood at the top, Sasuke let out a small pant. Naruto handed him a container of water, so he could drink from it whenever he liked. It was icy cold and hurt his teeth to swallow, but it was better than being thirsty. “Lead the way,” the alpha told him, falling a step behind.

They walked and walked and walked. Sasuke took Naruto on a tour of the lands he’d grown up on, but with all the parts they visited that Sasuke had never trodden, he felt that he was learning almost as much as the alpha. Even the less familiar areas were nostalgic and beautiful. It wasn’t good land for growing, or the clan would be doing better, but the close-pressed trees felt shielding, and he understood, after leaving here, why a small persecuted clan might have settled this place in the first place.

Sasuke spent a stream of silent moments walking and feeling melancholic homesickness over the fact that his child would probably never know this place the way he had. Growing up here had been awful, but this place had formed him. The dusky solitude of it was imprinted deep into his bones. Naruto paused, and Sasuke did too. He looked out over the glittering frozen wasteland and touched his midriff.

“Something feels weird,” Naruto finally spoke. Sasuke paused. He listened or tried to sense. He agreed, but he couldn’t pinpoint it. “Use your eyes,” his alpha suggested. “Maybe climb a tree?” Sasuke charged his palms and feet with chakra and climbed up to the highest branch he thought would support him. The bark pinched his palms with ice and roughness. Once raised, he activated his eyes and scanned the horizon in all directions. Naruto stood underneath the tree and kept a lookout.

Slowly, but surely enough, Sasuke’s sight focused on a pulsing dome of eerie chakra in the distance. It shifted and roiled, bruised colors swirling through each other. It looked like many chakra types, and it would have been amazing if it didn’t look so ominous. Sasuke slid down the tree and found that he could track the glow even through the trees. He pointed. “It’s over there.”

“Get there today?” Naruto asked. Sasuke nodded. Naruto seemed to think. “Should we go now, or rest, and get there stronger tomorrow?”

“I saw lots of different chakras, forming a large cloud,” Sasuke contributed. “Could be a lot of enemies.” He was itching to fight, but tactically it might make sense to rest. Sasuke would just give the facts and let Naruto decide since he was more experienced.

Naruto hummed. “If there’s really that many-” he mused, taking the omega’s hand. “Maybe you should go home.”

Sasuke snatched his fingers back. “No.” He wasn’t willing to defer quite that far.

Naruto sighed patiently and retook Sasuke’s hand. “Then we cross half the distance and find shelter.” He gave Sasuke a look. “I’m trusting you not to walk us into danger,” he warned, grinning. “Understood?” He sounded stern, even though it was playful. It was the voice he used on his squad, Sasuke imagined.

“Yes, sir,” Sasuke deadpanned. His eyes were still on, so he was hyper-aware of his mate’s powerful chakra folding around him. It made him submit just a little, even if his tone was sarcastic. He also... liked the idea of being part of Naruto’s team. After Sasuke delivered their child, and he’d regained his strength, he would ask. Naruto had only praised him during this mission, so he thought his chances were good.

“Oh-” Naruto teased, yanking the omega against his chest. “I like that,” he growled. His chakra flared with a red heat, and Sasuke whined. Through their layers, he couldn’t feel much of his mate’s body, but his energy and scent were enough to tip the omega’s head into a whirl.

“Get your hands off me,” Sasuke complained, wiggling free. “Follow,” he then ordered, tugging the alpha along by his wrist.

Again they walked. The sun descended low on the horizon. By then, they were quite near the glowing lights. Sasuke could feel it prickling his other senses as well. “This is halfway,” he announced, reluctantly. He wanted to go the rest of the way- but he was tired. Stamina. One of his weaker traits, undoubtedly. Naruto’s call had been right, and Sasuke was annoyed but also comforted by that. Until he knew more, he should try to trust his mate’s judgment.

Luckily, they found a small abandoned hut. The wood had warped and sealed the door shut, so Naruto nearly had to kick it off its hinges to open it. Snow drifted from outside, but it was a relief to just not be in the path of the wind. Sasuke gathered some pieces of the splintering door to try and build a fire. Naruto checked the other side of the house, probably doing the same.

“Baby, what are these?” Naruto asked. Sasuke set the wood down and came over. His alpha pointed, and Sasuke’s eyes followed until they fell on some ritual items from his clan. “I don’t know exactly,” Sasuke replied honestly. He knew they were ritual items, but he’d only been exposed to them once or twice.

One of them was an etched iron bowl, coated in rust. The other was a staff which had equally rusty interlocking rings forming a rattle at the top.“I recognize this- and this,” he murmured, pointing at the symbols he’d seen before at the ceremony they’d help for his presentation. He turned the bowl over in his hands, and the red iron dust coated his fingers. “These are ancient symbols for resurrection.”

He picked up the staff and spun it around in his hands. “I’ve seen something like this before at the winter festival.” The one he’d seen had looked much newer, though. Even though the one he held in his hands was dirty and tarnished, it still had a satisfying weight. Unlike the bowl, it seemed to be holding itself together a bit better. If he remembered, it was the center of one of the few festivals children were allowed to attend. They occurred when the season turned. He’d participated in it every winter... except this one. “Rebirth of the red sky-” he read. “Deathless… celestial.” He looked up at Naruto. “Do you think it means the return of the sun and spring?” Naruto shrugged. Sasuke shook his head, ashamed he couldn’t offer more. “I don’t know. They don’t tell the children much, and I-”

Naruto shook his head, silencing Sasuke by touching his cheek. “Don’t worry,” he soothed. Sasuke frowned. “It’s fine. I was just curious.” It wasn’t that he was worrying, not really. There was a difference between being upset and worrying.

There was no hay on the rickety bed-frame, and the door needed to be braced by a branch Naruto brought in from outside, but the fireplace worked well enough once they cleaned it out. Once it was burning steadily, they were able to curl up side by side near the growing flames and warm up enough to take off their thicker outer layers and make a bed out of them.

Sasuke knew he was in a melancholy mood, but all he could do was sit in it. Luckily Naruto put an arm around his waist and kissed his cheek until he had no choice but to turn and allow himself to be comforted. “I know,” he admitted, submitting to a series of tender kisses.

There wasn’t anything to say about it. Naruto’s gentle blue eyes told Sasuke they both knew how he felt. His alpha offered him a sweet distraction in the form of more kisses. Sasuke’s instincts called for more, but he was almost sure he couldn’t. As soon as they were sitting together, his body had taken the rest at its word and revealed to him all its exhaustion. As he melted into Naruto’s side, Sasuke blessed their luck. A covered place to sleep two nights in a row.

And this abandoned house was even better than the burrow: it was a good deal warmer by being off the ground and more protected from animals. Without the cold pulling his muscles tight, Sasuke could fully relax his body, finally setting down the weight of his pregnant form. After a bit, he turned his back to his alpha and snuggled in close, purring as his mate’s body-heat permeated the tired muscles in his lower back. He shifted, trying to press as much of himself to the alpha’s warmth as possible, but he must have been careless because he Naruto get firm and take a hitching breath. “You little tease,” he breathed, kissing the omega’s neck.

Sasuke whined softly, feeling the alpha grind against him. He could feel it filling up, twitching as it got harder. Maybe... maybe he had enough energy to do it after all. He pulled up his robes and pushed down his leg coverings, baring his ass to the alpha. Naruto filled him immediately, definitely impatient from Sasuke’s search for warmth. The omega remained still and took it, biting down on a wail as his mostly unprepared body was quickly stretched open by the alpha’s rigid cock.

“Naruto-” he gasped, as his mate rocked against him, pushing and pulling on Sasuke’s hip so he could thrust in and out. Sasuke didn’t have to do much, and there was no pressure on his tummy. Not to mention he was tighter that way- and he could feel every ridge on the alpha pushing past the lips of his receptive sex, prying his depths open.

Sasuke cried out, his voice slipping as his alpha bit into his shoulder, and the grip on his hip seemed to double in force. Naruto pressed hard against Sasuke’s inner walls and squeezed the knot into him. They tied like that, and Sasuke came hard, reaching up to grab the alpha’s muscled upper arm for steadiness. Naruto touched his cheek and turned him around so they could kiss. The omega moaned softly, nipping his alpha’s mouth and jaw with affection.

After some time, Naruto’s knot went down, and Sasuke finally gathered his wits together. “You get to wash our clothes again,” Sasuke laughed, feeling the warmth pooling in the base of his hips. At least the pleasure made all the aches in his body fade away. He touched the fur. Unlike cotton, this couldn’t be wet carelessly. “Will it even come out of this?”

“Probably won’t. Just hold it all,” Naruto growled, teasingly nibbling Sasuke’s ear. He was kneading the omega’s thighs possessively, and it made little shivers of pleasure go through Sasuke’s body as the massaging made contractions of pleasure climb the inside of Sasuke’s opening.

“With how much you give me?” Sasuke teased. As if on cue, Naruto’s knot throbbed, releasing more seed into him.

“Don’t talk like that. You’re making it worse,” the alpha threatened. Sasuke ducked playfully, mewling in a teasing form of submission. He rolled his hips, smirking when the alpha’s cock twitched again, pulsing out more seed. Naruto growled. “Maybe I’ll put you on the floor to leak out your mess there.”

“Do it then-” Sasuke gasped, biting his lip as Naruto’s knot shifting around continued to stretch him. “You won’t.” Naruto rolled him over to fast his head spun. He found himself pressed into the old wooden slats, only a thin layer of fabric between him and the floor. “Is this how you treat your pregnant omega?” Sasuke gasped, amused and surprised. Naruto was playful with his dominance, but he was careful not to put any of his weight on Sasuke’s body.

“No, just you,” his alpha growled, thrusting his tied knot and making Sasuke whimper. It had loosened, but it was still thick enough to make Sasuke’s body give way around its girth. “You love it.” After a bit more teasing, Naruto tugged his knot out, and the omega whimpered, feeling his alpha’s seed flow out of him.

He felt warm, and ecstasy filled every inch of his body, but as the pleasure slowly ebbed, he felt uncomfortable. “I need a real bath,” Sasuke complained. He was sticky, and they were weeks separated from the nice tub in Naruto’s house- or even the easily accessible pure water from the well at their little seaside cottage.

“Then get a bucket of snow,” Naruto told him, pointing at the dusty bucket in the corner.

Sasuke considered it, weighing his desire for cleanliness with the sleepy warmth from his release and the fact that if he moved, the mess from their fucking would end up everywhere. “In the morning,” he sighed, not wanting to get up.

“No. Do it now,” Naruto ordered, helping Sasuke sit. Sasuke let out a soft whine as the alpha’s seed began to spill out of him. Naruto’s blue eyes were fixed between his thighs, and Sasuke was able to watch the alpha struggle to rip his mind away from that, refocusing his gaze on Sasuke's face. “… I don’t want you outside with wet hair,” he rumbled.

“Get it for me,” Sasuke replied, letting his body hang limply from Naruto’s hand, and then rolling onto his side.

“Brat,” his alpha sighed. Sasuke snickered as he watched the alpha pick up the bucket and take it outside to collect snow. When the omega got the bucket, he gratefully noticed that Naruto had cleaned it before filling it. “Here it is.”

“Thank you,” he purred. He heated his hands with chakra, and as usual, lately, he felt no pull. But he noticed when he used a lot, he felt the seal tingling on his belly. He used the chakra gifted to him and his child by the beast to melt the water. Then, Sasuke used a clean section of the robe they’d dirtied to wash thoroughly. “Another,” Sasuke ordered, and after receiving it and giving it the same treatment, he passed it towards Naruto. “It’s for you.”

“Oh, it’s warm,” the alpha praised, also washing. “This one is to wash clothes,” Naruto added, bringing him one more bucket, and Sasuke sat on the furs in the small hut while Naruto scrubbed everything. “Can you do the drying thing again?” So Sasuke did. In order, he dried their respective under, middle and outer layers. Sasuke wiggled happily, pleased with the crisp feeling of heat-dried cotton. “I love all the little uses for your flames,” Naruto praised him warmly. Sasuke felt himself start purring as the alpha leaned over to kiss his cheek gratefully.

“I love being useful for you,” Sasuke replied sarcastically, watching Naruto toss out the bucket and rebar to the door.

“Keh-” Naruto laughed, sitting back down beside the fire. “Come here. You need to eat.”

“I’ve been eating as we walked,” Sasuke whined, wrinkling his nose.

“Not a meal,” his alpha sighed, giving Sasuke an impatient look. He wasn’t so in love with Naruto that being given orders about little things wouldn’t make him dig his heels in anymore. “Eat some more.” Sasuke scowled. “Please. For the little one.” Sasuke scowled harder, but he supposed he should obey.

Sasuke curled up in his alpha’s arms and picked at the dried meat and fruit rations they’d brought. He wanted fresh meat, but they couldn’t afford to be running around and hunting when stealth was of the essence, especially so close to their enemies. Naruto touched his mouth and pressed another berry to his lips. “More of those-” Sasuke complained, pointing at the meat bits. “Not that.” He pushed Naruto’s hand away. “Put that over there.” Something about them was supremely offensive to him. He knew Naruto’s nose would never let him try to feed Sasuke rotten food, so it must be the baby.

“Sorry,” the alpha apologized readily. Sasuke nibbled on the dried meat. It was passable, sure. But was it making his sense of taste happy? Sasuke sighed wistfully, thinking of grilled rabbit or forest fowl. Maybe he could eat a fatty chunk of deer meat, like one he’d seen at an Uchiha clan banquet but not been allowed to try, danced in his mental eye. It had been for warriors only. Sasuke imagined it’s flavor, and his mouth watered.

“You won’t go hunt,” the omega sighed, pouting.

“We already talked about this,” Naruto scolded him gently, his expression understanding but a little exasperated. Sasuke huffed in disappointment, and Naruto laughed. “Once we get off these lands again.” He rubbed his nose against Sasuke’s and kissed him. “I promise.”

Sasuke shivered as the kiss deepened, and Naruto’s fingers began to creep between his thighs. He grabbed his alpha’s jaw. “I’m not letting you do it again,” he warned. Naruto gave him big blue eyes, but Sasuke was freshly washed and exhausted. “Don’t even make pretty eyes at me.”

“Are you complimenting me or-?” Naruto laughed, kissing him again. Sasuke moaned softly, his hand moving from the alpha’s jaw to his nape to hold him closer. Naruto’s hands obediently moved to Sasuke’s hips, petting him gently there instead.

“I’m telling you to hold me, but know I’m going to sleep,” he replied, once Naruto let him have a breath. Naruto nodded, cuddling him closer and surrounding him in drowsy warmth.

When he woke up again, they dressed and shook out their furs. At Naruto’s behest, Sasuke ate again, and then they got moving. They traveled more cautiously than before, more quietly, knowing they were close to their goal. Sasuke’s eyes stayed on the whole time. He could barely help it; his heartbeat was quick, and his defenses were up.

He’d had a strange dream again. It had been of a man with brightly glowing crimson eyes. An Uchiha then, but not one Sasuke had ever seen before. The patterns in his eyes turned and turned, like hellish wheels. For what seemed like hours, the man watched him from the pooling darkness of midnight. Sasuke had tried to move- at least enough to alert his mate- but found he couldn’t. His body had raced with ineffective panic.

Sasuke had awoken to the growing daylight and soreness on his belly, the pale lines of the contract freshly scratched into his skin. He was at first panicked that someone had seen them, thinking the man was real… but the same branch had still braced the door, and Sasuke realized Naruto would have responded immediately to someone using their eyes near them. It must just have been a seal dream. But his seal dreams, they had meanings, right? He had to stay vigilant. Someone might be watching them, or they might be at risk of being caught.

Again, they walked. Sasuke’s markings felt sore, pinching as they healed. Usually, they would have been nothing by the time he’d gotten ready in the morning, but something was off. Maybe his dream hard carved the contract into him deeper than usual. He would worry if he saw them again the next morning. Overnight, that was how long it took for the worst injuries: broken bones and things like that.

As they got closer, the glow thickened instead of brightening. It became dense, like humidity, and curled in the air in the form of a miasma. Sasuke saw the membrane of that discomfiting chakra, like a layer in the atmosphere, and his steps faltered.

“It’s right there, isn’t it?” Naruto asked. “I can feel it.”

Sasuke nodded and steeled himself. He passed through the threshold of it, and as he did, it raised each hair from his skin. He shuddered. It wasn’t slimy like the snake’s chakra; instead, it seemed to cling to him and coat him, blurring the line between himself and the air around him.

Sasuke’s head felt like- and the ground under his feet began to feel soft and spongy… He looked down, and it was hard-packed earth, rocky even. Sasuke checked on his alpha and found that Naruto, too, was swaying as he walked.

He would have asked if his mate was okay, but at that moment, he stepped in something that wasn’t snow. To his Sharingan, it was bright with energy.

“Blood,” Naruto breathed. He sniffed, testing the air. “Human and… something else.”

Sasuke’s breath hitched. If he tried to connect with his body and inhaled sharply through his nose, he could also pick up the smell of iron over the freshness of the snow. There was no sign that Sasuke could see of any enemy, but the air around him glowed and put a fuzz over everything. His vision couldn’t extend as far as it had before.

Naruto guided him around the pools of blood, and Sasuke wanted to turn his eyes off and see normally, but he couldn’t. His heart was beating too fast. He was afraid, and the colorful fog around him was only making it worse.

They walked, and he was able to see something clearly for the first time. It was a hulking shape, a monster, and Sasuke could think it was made of wood by the glowing rings that seemed to cycle chakra through its massive body. It made Naruto’s fox form- hell, even Kushina’s fox form, look tiny.

It leered at him, it’s wooden jaws wide and gaping, as it sucked in the turbid chakra from the surrounding area. To Sasuke, it was like being face to face with a nightmare escaped from a ghost story one of his older cousins was telling him.

“What is this?” Sasuke breathed. He’d never felt anything like it before. The pressure was more even than that despicable snake-alpha’s. It would have buckled his knees immediately had he not spent the last few months becoming so much stronger. It still made his heart flutter violently in his chest, like a bird that would escape if it could. “I don’t understand.”

“Sasuke,” Naruto warned, his fingers circling Sasuke’s wrist so tightly it hurt. It was only the urgency in the alpha’s voice that stopped Sasuke from releasing his ability, or at the very least, hissing his displeasure. “We need to get out of here fast. Take a good look at it with your eyes, then let's move.”

The more he looked, the more he felt like his body was being unlaced at the seams and pulled apart. He checked Naruto, and because of his eyes, he couldn’t see any of the colors he was used to, but the way the alpha’s energies were moving was like he was gearing up to defend himself.

He looked back at the thing and tried not to be drawn into its eyes, which seemed to bear the Sharingan, or its black, gaping mouth, into which all the colors of the light seemed to just... vanish. He memorized its shape, its multiple arms, its hunched back, its terrible claws, and the markings on its body: secret symbols that glowed with malicious intent.

Devour… Ten… Moon… Flower… the names of the five elements… He caught these symbols, but the meanings eluded him. How did they connect? For each symbol he could read, there were nine he couldn’t. He knew something, but it was only a feeling he got: Ancient- it knew times before him and would know times after him. He felt himself slipping… swirling out of his body towards the vortex of vanishing lights…

Naruto yanked on Sasuke’s wrist just before something whizzed sharply through the space Sasuke had just been standing in. Sasuke caught a glimpse of a creature that had the shape of a human, but the eerie mixed chakra of that… thing, before Naruto’s chakra in the form of a clawed hand blew it away into the fog that surrounded the young omega.

His arm wrenched in what seemed a random direction, and then he was running. Running for his life, if the way his instincts were screaming at him meant anything. They ran until that feeling of dread faded from both of them. Sasuke pressed his back to a tree, panting dizzily. His heart thumped painfully against his ribs. “What the fuck was that?” Sasuke demanded, clutching his chest and gasping.

“You remember?” Naruto asked. Sasuke nodded. Naruto handed over his hip knife. “Draw it.” Sasuke accepted the blade and sketched out what he’d seen into some fresh snow. Naruto inspected the image. “Stop me if I’m crazy, but doesn’t that look a bit like what we saw last night? Isn’t that your clan’s knowledge?”

“It is,” Sasuke replied, his stomach falling out from under him. “But how? Where would they get so much-” Blood? Chakra? Either way, he was terrified to know the answer. Could his clan have summoned something so terrible? “No,” he breathed, shaking his head. “I don’t believe it.”

Naruto nodded, his eyes expression the worry Sasuke felt twisting him. “Then someone is using something your clan invented,” he allowed, out of kindness for the omega’s feelings. Sasuke knew what it looked like- what it most likely had to be. Naruto tilted his head to the side, thinking. “Either way, shouldn’t we ask them?” Naruto finally decided.

Sasuke grimaced. It would probably have to happen, but he wasn’t looking forward to the confrontation. His stomach lurched. “Oh fuck,” Sasuke moaned, twisting off the path to empty his last meal into the snow. It didn’t taste any better the second time. His body only felt loosely joined, and spilling the food did make him feel better. With nothing inside, his energy could go to holding himself together.

Naruto was at his side in a moment, brushing his hair away from his face so it wouldn’t get dirty. “It’s okay. It’s okay,” the alpha soothed gently, shifting Sasuke so his weight would lean against his body. Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’m weak,” he choked, ashamed. He shouldn’t be so easily upset by what he’d seen. He’d spent so much time saying he was strong, and yet here he knelt, a liar.

“You’re pregnant,” Naruto reminded him. “I want to puke too, and I don’t have a baby pushing on my stomach.”

“You think?” Sasuke asked. He had forgotten that, though, he might just be sick because his body was adjusting.

“Well, I’m pretty sure. Seeing I don't have a womb, it would be tough,” Naruto teased, still petting Sasuke.

“Ugh.” The omega grimaced, hating the taste of his mouth. “You’re a fool.” But it had comforted him. He nodded, feeling a bit steadier.

“What’s new?” Naruto handed him a bamboo rod full of water. “Stand up when you can,” Naruto half-whispered to him, his eyes narrowing. Sasuke’s body tensed, and his eyes activated. “I don't think we’re alone.”

Sasuke stood sooner than his body wanted him to. But he couldn’t allow himself to be a burden. Naruto silently took his hand and led the omega off the path and into the trees. Sasuke kept his feet under him, and they moved swiftly. Naruto’s presence quieted, to the point of nearly vanishing, and Sasuke mirrored him. They veered off sharply, going in an entirely different direction.

He knew what they were doing- he’d spent a summer doing it. He was throwing off the trail. Unsurprisingly, Naruto brought them to a river. “Watch me,” the alpha ordered softly. “It’s different when the water is moving.” Sasuke nodded. He did the complicated task of keeping his energy quiet, using his eyes, and still paying close attention to how Naruto walked on the surface of the quickly moving river water.

Once Naruto was over, Sasuke nearly ran to follow him. While he’d watched his alpha cross, each noise in the woods behind him seemed to crawl up his back and threaten him. His omega instincts demanded they be side by side.

But overdoing it like he had that day had its costs- and perhaps the beast's energy wasn’t as limitless as everyone claimed. His body did another sickly lurch. “Fuck,” Sasuke swore, sinking slowly, carefully to his knees. His body hurt, his head hurt.

“You’re not doing well,” Naruto identified, kneeling beside Sasuke and taking over his weight. Sasuke did his best to be easy to pick up. It was about all he could manage.

“It feels like it’s the seal,” Sasuke pressed out, fisting the collar of the alpha’s clothing. The wind weakened as the alpha descended into another hollow. Stone this time. It was a cave with a reasonably large opening, but it twisted near the back so they could remain out of sight. Sasuke would have felt even worse about collapsing if they hadn’t been so close to refuge.

“How long has this been happening?” the alpha asked, letting the Sasuke down onto the icy stone floor. He welcomed it, though. He knelt and pressed his cheek against the wall of the cave, feeling the cold clear his head and stop the feverish swaying nausea that kept climbing up from inside him. It was grounding against the numbness he’d felt in that evil object’s presence, as well. Sasuke shook his head. He was fine, or he would be in a moment. “Sasuke-” Naruto growled, and his alpha’s serious order shot through him. “Answer me.”

“It doesn’t matter, now,” Sasuke hissed. And then the pressure of their bond and Naruto’s dominance overwhelmed him. He didn’t often feel the need to follow orders, but maybe his conscience agreed with the order because he answered. “Since I saw that thing,” he admitted, exhaling heavily.

“When did you take damage? How?” Sasuke shook his head. He had no idea. “You’re not allowed to die,” Naruto told him, an edge of panic entering his already rough voice. “I never should have brought you.”

“I’m not dying,” Sasuke snapped, exasperated. “But I am uncomfortable,” he admitted. “And I need to rest.” his vision was swimming. “Can I trust you to guard me?” He asked, closing his eyes so that his senses would be dominated by the stillness of the earth and his alpha’s powerful, surrounding scent. He was safe with Naruto. He was safe. He just had to wait for this to pass.

“Yes. Of course,” Naruto answered, surprised Sasuke would even need to ask. “Drink, sleep.” Naruto tipped the bamboo rod full of water against Sasuke’s mouth, and he drank, grateful for an end to at least the discomfort of thirst. Naruto laid him down, and Sasuke fought his fatigue to watch Naruto build a fire.

He tried to sit up to light the flame, but Naruto snarled at him, and his eyes glowed with bloody fury. Sasuke didn’t flinch, but he let his hand fall and tipped his head sideways to show he was submitting as he lowered himself back to the ground. His body agreed with Naruto, begging him to stay down that time. “You seem,” Sasuke began, carefully keeping his voice neutral. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, though. “… I don’t know.”

“I think it’s the moon,” the alpha growled, his fangs prominent in his mouth. “This shape is hard.” Sasuke thought the thing they’d seen might also be affecting Naruto. Days before full moons, he hadn’t quite been like this, not since their first moon, where Naruto and Sasuke had been insecure and thorny to each other.

“I understand,” Sasuke allowed, watching the scars in his mate’s cheeks deepen and darken. “You can run if you want to. I’ll wait here.”

“I have to defend you,” the alpha refused, shaking his head. His claws scraped the stone in the windbreak, drawing lines into the floor of their cave. “It’s not about what I want.”

“I’m sorry,” Sasuke apologized, reaching for the alpha’s hand and pulling it to his lips. “I never wanted to-”

“No. Don’t be,” Naruto told him immediately, pressing their foreheads together. “Love you,” he rumbled shortly. Something told Sasuke his mate wouldn’t be talking much more. His animal instincts would become stronger, and resisting changing his forms would take all his power. Naruto showed Sasuke by touch how to curl up on his thigh, turning him toward the warmth of the fire. Feeling quite comfortable and safe there, omega dozed, fading in and out of conscious thought.

He awakened later in the night, and his body was numb and immovable- except he was shivering. “Naruto, I’m cold,” he heard himself mewl softly. The fire must have burnt itself out. He usually wouldn’t make such a pathetic sound, but he felt vulnerable and small and too exhausted to open his eyes and maneuver himself closer to the dimming fire. Something warm laid itself over him. “Thank you,” Sasuke sighed, spreading his palm over the thick fur draped over him and enjoying the warmth it seemed to emanate.

But... that must mean Naruto was bare! Sasuke couldn’t allow that. He forced his eyes open and found first that it was dark. He’d been right about the fire. Second, he discovered that he was covered by a series of furred tails, only several of which were needed to protect him entirely. The fur he’d thought was on top of him, and Naruto’s clothes were in a pile under him. No wonder he’d stopped feeling the hardness of the icy stone. “This form?” The beast whined softly, backing off slightly. Sasuke pinned the nearest tail against him with his arm.

The last thing he wanted was to be uncovered, and the energy that radiated from the tails seemed to be calming whatever discomfort issued from between his hips. “I don’t mind,” He told his mate. “Come,” he offered, opening his arms. Instead of that, the tails seemed to wrap him up and sweep him closer to the beast’s body. Then the fox curled up into an oval shape, with Sasuke and his soft bedding of clothes cradled in the middle.

Yes. That was the perfect spot. His omega instincts were in heaven. He had physical comfort in the form of soft, fluffy tails; he had the ocean scent of his alpha to surround and soothe him; he could bask in the powerful pressure of his energy. Despite the looming danger and discomfort in his body, Sasuke began purring. Its massive, furred head was near enough for Sasuke to wiggle over to it and scratch its broad forehead.

He found himself purring louder. The fox’s tongue made warm passes over his palms as he pet it. He burrowed his way back into the pile of tails but stayed close enough to keep a palm on its soft muzzle. He felt its tongue pass over his mark, and he gasped softly but was too sleepy to respond. His eyes were already closing as drowsiness took him.

He slept, buried in deep bliss. He awoke a time or two in the night, feeling a shift in the air that registered to his senses as a threat. When he got up to see, he would catch a glimpse of a smoldering blackened spot on the stone of the cave, and Naruto would nose him back into the pile of soft fur and hold him down till he gave up and went back to sleep.

Only once did he even see the ghostly white creature before Naruto’s body heaved with heat, and a bright beam disintegrated it on the spot. He… hadn’t known about that, and Naruto whined softly as if Sasuke might be afraid after seeing it. Far from it… it had him a bit interested.

Was it normal to be attracted to his mate, even when he was in the form of a beast? He didn’t know. Unsure, Sasuke decided he would be, at the very least, accepting either way. Naruto was doing an excellent job as his alpha, protecting Sasuke without even moving him. Sasuke purred in satisfaction, petting and praising his mate. This seemed to calm the fox down quite a bit. It curled into a tighter ball, and its tails wrapped around Sasuke. It gave a pleased yip, and its eyes closed in pleasure as Sasuke found a scratch spot between its ears, laying his body over its muzzle to reach.

But pressing so close for petting put the foxes nose right by Sasuke’s belly. The fox soon released a low rumbling sound, its rich golden eyes focusing on Sasuke. It was Naruto’s sound for when he was pleased with Sasuke, or when he desired Sasuke, but much deeper and more resonant. It’s hot tongue passed over Sasuke’s slightly rounded tummy. A hot, worked-up breath escaped him. He was caught.

He didn’t know why he’d wanted to hide it. Naruto always knew. It was nearing daylight, and Sasuke had slept enough. It made sense to… He mewled quietly, trying to sort his thoughts. The physicality of it was not entirely beyond him. This fox was massive, and comparatively, Sasuke was a small thing. The omega in his mind urged him just to roll over and let the alpha sort it. That mindset had only ever gotten him into trouble, though...

“Are there any more nearby,” he asked, his fingers digging into the fox’s lustrous fur as he attempted to stay rational. The fox shook its head once and licked him again, this time under his chin. Sasuke’s mind emptied, and he tipped his head to the side to let his alpha check his mark. Something very persuasive was telling him form didn’t matter because his alpha wanted, and what the alpha wanted- he wanted. The warm licks against his mark were becoming more insistent, and it was making Sasuke’s body tremble. The beast’s jaws found Sasuke’s outermost shirt and pulled, guiding Sasuke to space before it. It stood up, blocking out most of the cave’s ceiling. Was Sasuke really about to-?

But, as far as his mind wanted to consider and think, he found himself on all fours rather quickly, the beast’s nose pressing against his lower back to reinforce the position. He was wearing a combination of both their clothes and that kept him warm even when he pushed down his leg coverings to bare himself to the alpha. His body still faintly quivered, because as sure as he was that Naruto would be careful, Sasuke still didn’t know that he could handle it. Two of the fox’s massive paws moved in front of him, and over his head, he could hear the rumbling from inside its chest.

The beast’s sex touched him, and Sasuke’s body twitched. He reached under himself and felt its fiery, moist weight rest in his palm. He couldn’t close his hand around it. Not really. He set the tip against himself as best he could, and his body shuddered against the nearly searing heat of it. After a beat, in which Sasuke barely breathed, the beast began to exert its weight. Sasuke panted, rolling his hips against the blunt pressure.

He whined, feeling the tip thoroughly tease his opening, spreading him though his depths were not ready to accept. He gasped, his thighs shaking as the beast thrust, knocking an inch into him. It was so wide. Slick bubbled out of him, coating the beginning of his mate’s formidable organ, and a heated rush worked its way through his body, finally reaching his burning cheeks. There was so much friction, even as wet as he was. Sasuke spread his thighs more, bowing lower so his mate could sink further into him.

He felt it happen and whined weakly when it didn’t stop, and instead, it kept feeding into him, inch after inch after inch spreading him obscenely wide. He couldn’t breathe around it. Its mass made his belly feel tight and unsteady. He took a shaky breath, feeling his mate’s hardness come to rest against a definite limit. He couldn’t move. It was enormous. Before him, the claws raked through the floor of the cave as if it were soft dirt, as the beast controlled itself: Exerting energy by turning stone into rubble.

Sasuke felt Naruto press again and allowed himself to make a soft, overwhelmed cry. If he didn’t vocalize, his mate wouldn’t know. He couldn’t. The beast stopped immediately, letting out a soft, impatient growl as its flesh throbbed within Sasuke. At first, the omega remained still, adjusting, but sensing the need in both of them for motion, he found purchase on the stone and started rocking back, taking as much as he could of the powerful male he was bound to. Sasuke panted, his head spinning and his nerves singing as he filled himself again and again with heat and dense flesh that pressed back against him, so hard and unyielding that it almost hurt.

If not for their baby, Sasuke would have gladly hurt himself, maybe even ruined himself to fuck this glorious cock harder. To have Naruto use him unto his pleasure even as a massive fox demon was something new as far as Sasuke’s desires went, but it had taken hold firmly. He froze, quivering as he came, his body clenching violently. It had a different shape, and Sasuke liked it a lot. Wanted the brutality in just its size and the way it could easily rearrange him, make him yield. When it moved, he could feel it catching on him internally, and each ring of broken tension made Sasuke’s body jerk with pleasure.

Naruto thrust again, gently, carefully. Sasuke gasped, tipping up his hips to take, and putting his elbows into the slab of rock beneath him to keep from sliding. His omegan body adapted quickly for its alpha and produced more warm, slick than it ever had before. So much that it was oozing from his pussy to his underbelly, where it pearled and fell to the cave floor in hot, sticky droplets. Sasuke sobbed in pleasure as his mate gained confidence and began to fuck him in earnest. The alpha was surging forward with speed, and Sasuke found himself wailing helplessly with pleasure. There was no way to remain quiet with a thing like that pressing the air out of him.

He pushed back against it, feeling the sweet overwhelming pleasure until he came again, collapsing onto his chest. He couldn’t hold himself up anymore, so he rested his head on his arm and let his mate work. It was too much. He could just lay and be made a bitch- he didn’t have to move more than to allow it. Sasuke’s body spasmed with pleasure, drawing on the monstrous cock, trying to pull a knot into place. Sasuke cried out in desperation when his body wasn’t satisfied, the beast's member sliding away unfettered and returning to stretch out Sasuke’s limits anew.

There was no way this thing could knot him- could it? He checked by touch, but it felt like the knot was another good length away. He’d have to take nearly twice as much to start and almost as much added thickness. His hand moved to cup his small pregnant belly. That would surely be too much. His logical sense was loud enough to prevent him from attempting something foolish. But he could keep getting fucked like this.

He could stay spread wide and overfilled. His opening felt much too stretched but sang with sensational friction. He choked, cried out, as Naruto lapped his bond mark. Sasuke’s body wanted desperately, a bite. He whimpered, his eyes fluttering shut as he denied himself asking for his body’s selfish desires. Sasuke had to remember to take this part of their relationship slowly. He came again, and that time it was too much. The omega whined like a wounded thing, but still, he felt his mate continue to move inside him.

The bruised feeling was becoming piercing. Sasuke knew it was time- he had to escape. He let himself collapse flat against the stone floor, and the male’s cock pulled out of him with an obscene sucking noise. Sasuke panted heavily, rolling onto his back, pleasure still radiating out from his core. Naruto leaned low and sniffed him curiously. Sasuke laughed breathlessly, wrapping his arms around its orange muzzle as euphoria rushed through him. “No more,” he apologized.

Naruto didn’t seem too bothered. He just kept nuzzling and licking Sasuke with a deep fondness. It felt good in a sweeter way. He returned the gesture by purring. Sasuke sat up and rubbed his head against the fox’s cheek, and it huffed at him in amusement. Sasuke was scooped up by the tails again. Apparently, he wouldn’t be allowed to get any higher than his knees for a while.

Sasuke would have protested being put to bed again, but he was sleepy. He tucked himself under one of the tails and yawned, then purred as the fox twisted around and kept gently nosing him. Sasuke would have worried about being selfish or about leaving his alpha without release after he’d come so many times, but he was pregnant and sleepy, and he’d been bundled up and was now being carefully groomed. Naruto would forgive him soon if he hadn’t already. Honestly, the omega was proud enough for even being able to take it at all in his state, so Naruto should count himself lucky.

Sasuke had another night of dark, hollow sleep. That was preferable, though. The last dreams had been dreadful and brought on by the seal.

“Where are we?” Sasuke mumbled, waking up. At first, he only saw a brown sort of cocoon shape around himself. After a moment, he realized he was wrapped in their blanket, and Naruto was carrying him in it like a hammock, using his powerful jaws to hold Sasuke as he made quick work of the uneven terrain. It looked much easier on all fours and went much faster than when Naruto had to let a pregnant omega struggle to keep up with him. Not for the first time, the Uchiha felt a little guilty for coming along, but he also wouldn’t have traded this trip for anything. “Let me stop and stretch.”

Naruto placed Sasuke on a high, flat plane of rock. Easy for the fox to reach, but Sasuke would have had a hell of a time getting up or down to here on his own, even with his chakra helping him stick to the sheer gray rock face.

He stretched himself out and sighed, wondering if he should allow himself to be a parcel for the rest of the way and just sleep. It seemed attractive. He eyed his alpha, knowing the massive fox would gladly carry him while he’d slept. But he didn’t want Naruto to remember him giving up and use that information to decide whether Sasuke could come on the next mission. He cursed that massive wooden beast again. If they hadn’t seen that… he sighed. If he hadn’t seen that, they wouldn’t have nearly as much information. Finding it had been the regrettable hidden goal of their mission.

It was what it was. But Sasuke also decided that he’d ride upright, and barring that, walk. Naruto whined and pushed up the pack Sasuke was carrying with his snout. Food and water? Sasuke supposed he might as well. Sasuke was nearly finished having a bit to eat and drink when the air shifted, pricking up Sasuke’s sense.

“Enemies.”

The fox’s eyes narrowed, and it let out a low growl, turning its body accurately toward the direction of the disturbance. But Sasuke quickly realized that though most of their enemies were clustered that way, they’d already nearly been surrounded. Nearby him, one began to melt out of the grass, pulling its solidifying body from the earth.

More of those pale creatures. They set Sasuke’s teeth on edge. It was strange for them to look like men but feel like anything but. Sasuke shuddered. He watched their unnatural hitching movements. He coated his short-sword in fire because that would only pull gently on his chakra even if he didn’t have the beast’s support, and when it felt like nothing again, he began setting them ablaze with his eyes. Whatever weakness he’d had was temporary. He guessed that if he checked the area where the seal appeared, that would be healed up too.

One rushed him, and he swung at its legs before setting a flower of black flame to its face. Sasuke nearly made a sound of surprise when the being’s flesh gave completely under his blade instead of providing the resistance he expected from flesh and bone. Its form seemed to melt and kept moving. It didn’t even scream. They must not feel pain.

Another creature leaped at him, and Sasuke’s body instinctively flipped into a spin kick, sending it flying into a nearby tree. Sasuke’s stomach did a sick lurch when it partly melted into the bark, leaving just an eerie, corpse-like face staring at him. Then it began to ooze back out.

He sensed movement to his side and flinched just out of its swinging grasp. The one he’d lamed seemed to be regenerating itself somehow, though it happened slowly. It wasn’t slow enough that it didn’t make Sasuke’s skin crawl.

Sasuke used more fire, setting both beings entirely alight. He kept his steps light and dodged the additional creatures’ attacks. Several of them all seemed intent on grabbing him, and a small crowd of them was clustered around Naruto. They didn’t seem to be able to regenerate as quickly as they were burned. He knew how to deal with the rest of them, then: the sword to keep them at bay, and Itachi’s black flames to finish them permanently.

Itachi had also said to experiment more with his lightning and make it his own, but their chakra and their behaviors so disconcerted Sasuke that he just wanted to dispatch them surely. He’d play around with his abilities later. Maybe Naruto would agree to let him practice.

Because they seemed so unnatural, Sasuke wasn’t as upset as he could have been as he used what he’d learned from his brother to exploit their weaknesses and carve them up. It didn’t feel like harming a person. They all moved the same, behaving like the same enemy over and over, and his Sharingan quickly picked them apart. Though they were relentless, and there seemed at first no end to them, the same moves worked on them over and over, and their numbers began to fall.

Quickly, he’d cleared his area, and he turned, wanting his alpha to praise him. But the alpha had missed one of those unnatural creatures. It morphed out the bark of a tree near the alpha. “Naruto!” Sasuke warned. “Look left!” The fox spun and killed it with its jaws, crushing it. Sasuke set his fire to his mate’s enemies, though the beast's chakra seemed to be turning them into regular wood. He didn’t want to risk it.“ Behind you,” Sasuke shouted. Naruto twisted and got another. Sasuke checked with his eyes, but he didn’t see anything but his mate and the dimming corpses. “There’s no more. I think.”

Naruto sniffed the air carefully and tipped its head once, affirmatively. Sasuke sat on the rock and let his legs hang over, and even though he’d barely had to fight five of those white specters, Naruto bounded over to sniff and lick at him. Sasuke pinned its muzzle to his chest. He was fine. He just needed to catch his breath.

“I’m better,” Sasuke sighed, annoyed with the alpha fussing over him. He pushed at the fox, and it was only out of respect for Sasuke that it moved, sitting back on its haunches, because comparatively, it was so large his push must have felt like nothing. Naruto fidgeted, tossing his head and flicking his tails and whining in annoyance until Sasuke relented and let his mate keep sniffing at him. “You can’t talk like this?” He asked, scratching its cheeks, which made its eyes close in bliss.

“It’s hard,” Naruto admitted. The fox shook itself in agitation as he rested his massive jaws on Sasuke’s lap and sniffed at his body. “You’re still weak.” Sasuke had to remind himself Naruto only referred to his current state and not his general one, to prevent himself from sparking from annoyance. Since getting pregnant, he could control his defense instinct even less. But Naruto’s pleased expression over being scratched was gentle, and infections, and doing it efficiently calmed Sasuke down as well.

“I didn’t say I was doing well,” Sasuke reminded him, scratching and watching as the fox panted in satisfaction, its tails waving. They spent a moment like that, but Sasuke was aware of the time passing and needing to move on. “Let me ride on your back this time,” he requested. The fox got up, stretched, then bowed slightly, and Sasuke was allowed to climb between its enormous shoulders. Just then, the energy of the area shifted. Sasuke’s heart kicked up, and his eyes showed him their clouds of mia chakra. Their time in this location was running out. “We’re being pursued, but they’re far. Hurry,” he told his mate.

Naruto immediately began moving swiftly through the forest. Sasuke wondered if that was why he’d woken up to them on the move? It made sense. If they’d been being followed, and Naruto had sensed the enemy getting too close and needed to create distance but hadn’t been willing to wake Sasuke, the easiest thing to do would be to pick him up like that and use the fox’s long legs to cross a greater distance. The thought of the enormous beast trying to handle his smaller sleeping form without the benefit of hands made his lips twitch. It also made him feel vaguely warm. He stroked the elegant, luxurious coat under his fingers affectionately.

Sasuke had to admit traveling like this was a little harder on his body than being carried like a parcel, but he also wasn’t a parcel. He rode low to avoid thick wooden branches that the fox would slink under. “They’ve given up, I think,” Sasuke murmured into his mate’s ear. They took another rest, and Naruto wanted to check Sasuke again, but his condition hadn’t changed, and he was over it. “Quit licking me. I’m fine.” He did spark a bit that time before he managed to control himself. The fox yipped in pain, pulling away and shaking its head. He gave Sasuke a frustrated look and paced in front of the omega.

Then, Naruto whined and just laid his head in Sasuke’s lap, which the Uchiha allowed because it wasn’t fretting over him. The fox’s fur was more pleasing each time he touched it. Sasuke now knew where it would be soft and downy and where it would be comparatively silky or coarse. His mate had fine lines even in his shape as a fox, and gorgeous dark markings around his eyes. Sasuke pressed a kiss between its eyes, and they opened briefly. His mate’s tails waved in affection before it closed its eyes to accept more petting.

In a bit, they traveled again, but Sasuke's senses were no longer piqued, and Naruto no longer seemed to hurry quite as much, though he still loped through the woods with direction and purpose. The moon rose, and it was only a sliver from full.

When Naruto stopped and let Sasuke back onto his feet, Sasuke automatically moved to make fire. The alpha shook its large head. Sasuke left it be, realizing that the light still had a chance of giving them away. Naruto used his large paws to dig them out a windbreak, and Sasuke huddled up into the center of all the alpha’s fluffy tails. They curled up in the dark but didn’t feel any lack of fire. His alpha’s body was warm and soft. Sasuke purred, rubbing his cheek against his mate’s, then turned and let his lips purse to place soft kisses.

Sasuke was pleased that his mate trusted him enough to live by his side in that form as well. He was happy with himself for communicating his acceptance, and he was undoubtedly pleased he’d reacted correctly and brought them closer. Much closer. He purred, thinking of being mated by the beast, but tried to do it only passingly so his scent wouldn’t shift. It was too cold for him to want to undress and give the alpha his way. Though he suppressed his desire, he let his purring flow freely, rubbing his face against the fox’s furred snout. Naruto yipped softly in happiness, knowing only that Sasuke’s affection for him was bubbling over.

It was surprisingly easy to communicate with Naruto like this, even though he didn’t often speak. They knew each other’s body language. Sasuke recognized Naruto’s movements, even cast over this vastly different shape. The alpha licked his cheek lightly and pressed his nose against Sasuke’s chest, nearly pushing him over. Luckily there was plenty of soft tails to catch his weight. It was easy to follow his instincts to express himself physically.

Perhaps the puppet or Sasuke’s needs had made Naruto transform, but even once they were resting safe, he seemed in no rush to change back or to leave Sasuke for the time he was turned. There was finally a strong bond of trust between them. Through the covering of his mate’s tails, the omega could smell the clean snowy air and watch the glittering stars and brightly glowing gibbous moon up above.

Sasuke slept well, despite the possibility they were being followed. They’d disposed of the creatures quickly enough, so he was comforted that they could defend themselves against whatever they face.

When they awoke, they prepared for the last legs of their journey. Naruto stayed a fox, letting Sasuke ride atop his back to hasten their progress.

When they arrived home, the alpha didn’t become a man to enter. He seemed to scent the air for direction immediately. Sasuke didn’t wish to see him go. He made a soft mewling sound, and Naruto, attentive, turned to him and nosed him comfortingly.

“You’re going to report?” Naruto whuffed in confirmation. Sasuke sighed, feeling the wrench of separation. But he did need to stay home. He needed to lay and let his womb settle properly. Sasuke couldn’t be as selfish as he’d been before. The exhausted omega would probably be unconscious most of the time the alpha was gone, anyway. “I’ll see you soon,” he allowed, kissing his alpha’s forehead again. It bowed low to accept, licked him once more, and bounded off.

XXX

When Naruto got done informing Lady Tsunade about what he’d seen, he hurried home. He could travel quickly as a fox during the nights, and Kurama made sure he didn’t get tired, so it would only be a couple of days before he could smell the sea again. He loped along in the darkness, and the moon hung bright in the sky, illuminating his path.

Alone, and his only concern being getting home, Naruto allowed himself to think about how much of a relief it had been to be accepted by his first even in this shape. He’d known by then that his brides wouldn’t cower from him in fear, but the lustful scent he’d caught from Sasuke had been a surprise. He’d been afraid to identify it for what it was, but Sasuke baring his mark and all his submissive purring were encouraging enough for the alpha to at least try- and to his surprise, the omega had allowed it. He’d allowed Naruto to mate with him even in this beastly shape.

Sure, Sasuke hadn't wanted to take the knot, but Naruto understood that completely. There was no room in his mate's slender body for all that. Especially not when he was already swollen from carrying Naruto’s child. When he wasn't pregnant anymore, maybe they could... Maybe Sasuke would let him. They could work together and force all that flesh into that little human form and-

The fox shook himself to work out the excited energy thinking of his mate had brought him. Sasuke was perfect, but he didn’t want to get hard and then have to change his shape and be naked in the snow trying to get himself off. Instead, he just ate some snow to cool down, then rolled in it a bit. What wouldn't he give to have his first just then? The head scratches had not been bad either. Not at all.

If he was honest, Naruto had missed spending time in his (he felt) better form. To avoid frightening his mates, he’d usually only allowed himself to shift the three most necessary nights, where he could hardly bear being human. But, before their arrival, he’d transformed as many days as possible and spent them all running wild in the forest near the Leaf. At his best, he’d changed seven nights around the full moon, three on either side.

When he arrived home, He didn’t speak to his sire. Instead, he went straight to his mates, needing to make sure they were both okay. Both of them had fragile health lately, and he really hadn’t been able to spend any time with Hinata in a while.

After stretching his fox form once more, he became a man and yanked some clothes off a drying line just inside their front door to cover himself. Without his protective fur, the cold still couldn’t hurt him that quickly, but it was definitely a lot more uncomfortable. He crept through the house, knowing it was unbearably early for daytime creatures, and his pregnant mates were probably getting much-needed rest.

The alpha would just creep into bed beside them and greet them in the morning. As expected, Sasuke was in the sleeping room resting, and his dark hair fanned out on the pillow. He looked better than when Naruto had left him. The omega’s cheeks were healthy and pink, and he didn’t smell faintly of blood anymore; His seal had healed up. Unsurprising, with Kurama’s chakra coursing through him, but still a relief.

Naruto knelt beside Sasuke and kissed his cheek, and the omega shifted, purring unconsciously as Naruto ran his fingers through dark, silky strands. Perfect Sasuke, sleeping peacefully and waiting to be cuddled. It was a weight off Naruto’s heart.

Then, where was his second? Naruto got up and checked the other rooms till he found her near the stove. Hinata was tending the fire to boil water, probably to make herself a pot of tea. He knelt by her side, and her eyes widened with surprise and happiness.

“You’re so quiet,” she laughed, throwing herself into his arms. “I didn’t even hear you till you were right there.” It was true. He’d been creeping around outside and gotten used to moving quietly, and then upon arriving, he hadn’t wanted to wake them.

Hinata-” Naruto sighed, taking deep, plumb-filled breaths of her scent. “You smell so sweet again.” To be honest, her scent had been prettier when it had been his baby, but the lingering touch of Sasuke on her was also pleasing and didn’t do anything to upset the alpha in him. It was probably because Sasuke was his too.

“Really?” Hinata asked, her face breaking into a smile. She smoothed her hands over the silk-covered tummy. She still didn’t look very pregnant yet, but her scent was all the evidence he needed. Hinata was wearing cream and lavender sleeping robes, and together they made her look like the sky full of dawn clouds. “Am I expecting again?”

“All that licking counted for something,” Naruto sighed, grinning.

Hinata broke into soft, tinkling laughter. “We couldn’t have done it without you,” she promised him mock-seriously, kissing his face.

“Whatever, silly woman,” Naruto teased. Sasuke had definitely put in all the work there. “I’m just glad you’re safe. Please don’t push yourself too hard.” He had another bride who could take a page from Hinata’s book. She was plumper even than when he’d left, and she was wearing simple silky clothes to treat her body softly.

“All I’ve been doing is eating and taking care of a few plants Sakura keeps here,” she promised him. “Just worry about Sasuke.” Naruto nodded. “Are you hungry?”

“Starving,” he admitted. Hinata fed him some leftovers from earlier in the day. It was mostly root vegetables. “You know you can get meat from-”

“I’m not doing that,” Hinata replied immediately, shaking her head. Naruto guessed he understood. “My dear alpha, no disrespect, but to me, your sire is someone to avoid if at all possible.”

“Then I’ll hunt in a minute,” he decided. Sasuke had wanted meat to, and been very patient about it, despite what Naruto was sure must be intense cravings. Hinata kissed him in thanks and then went to the stove to make her tea. She set a cup in front of him too, and they sat, mostly in silence, drinking their tea.

Soon, Hinata yawned, excused herself, and went to bed. Naruto wasn’t ready to sleep yet. He didn’t feel like he had to run, but he certainly felt the moon's fullness giving him energy. He knew both of his mates were wanting fresh meat.

Naruto hunted by tooth and claw, prowling around in the woods until he caught an animal unaware and snapped its neck with the brute force given to him by Kurama and his training. It was how Kushina had taught him to hunt, and though he was impressed with the sharpness of Sasuke’s archery skills, this form of hunting was much more his speed.

He hadn’t- eaten raw meat since his mates had come to live with him. It had made him feel animal and somehow unworthy to be with them. But after the time he’d been having recently, the rich smell of the blood was irresistible. And maybe Sasuke’s acceptance was telling him he was allowed to be himself, as long as he was careful not to hurt them. There was no way this could, so Naruto indulged.

Still, he managed to bring most of it home and butcher it with a knife as a person should. There would be no way to tell how the blood had gotten onto him. The deer’s blood was bright crimson in the snow as the rising sun shone its pale light. It was beginning to be morning, and a newly awakened Hinata came out and pointed to a piece she wanted, gesturing for him to place it into an iron pot she carried. Shivering intensely throughout her plump body, she was unable to tell him with words. Naruto gladly gave it to her, and she hurried inside, kicking up flurries of snow in her haste. He knew she was headed straight for the fireplace to cook and warm up. They’d be having a rich breakfast.

The meal improved Sasuke’s mood. He’d eaten until his lips and fingertips were shiny with fat, and his cheeks glowed with satisfaction. He’d then pressed his body, vibrating with purrs, into Naruto’s lap and kissed the alpha until his head spun. Things progressed naturally from there the way they always did. Naruto felt his cock harden under the omega’s straddled seat in his lap. Sasuke smirked, kissing underneath the alpha’s jaw in submission. As the seconds passed, the soft kisses graduated into nips and bites. Sasuke submission became more of a demand as the omega became impatient.

Naruto stretched out on his back, letting the omega sit on top of him. Sasuke slipped out of his clothing, and Naruto’s eyes were drawn to his milky legs. Though he still looked strong, the muscles didn’t stand out as much anymore since Sasuke was gaining weight. The omega exhaled with pleasure when Naruto dug his thumbs into the soft flesh of his mate’s inner thighs. Naturally, his belly looked smooth, and Sasuke shivered as Naruto ran his hands over the parts of Sasuke that held his attention.

Naruto liked this. He enjoyed his omega pregnant and pillowy to the touch. Naruto’s hand’s shifted up, and there was a new softness there too. Sasuke’s chest used to be flat and thin. “Hey, Sasuke-” Naruto murmured, teasing the soft pink nipples there. “You’re starting to get soft here too-” He squeezed, and the omega gasped. “Are you preparing to feed my child?”

“Mmm,” Sasuke replied, giving Naruto a half-lidded look. He might have used words, but the way Naruto was handling him clouded his eyes. Naruto squeezed again, fascinated with the small bouncy teats, but Sasuke winced, touching the back of Naruto’s hand and reminding him “Gentle-”

“Sorry precious,” Naruto apologized, biting his lip. He would be careful. He put his hands on the omega’s hips instead and thrust up from underneath. The omega moaned his approval, gripping the alpha’s shoulders and riding to match his rhythm.

They came together and tied tightly. Naruto partly wanted to do more, but he also knew his pregnant mate became tired quickly. They could do as much. He just needed to space out his desires so the omega wouldn’t be overburdened. Sasuke purred in satisfaction, curling up on Naruto’s chest. It was almost impossible for the alpha to understand why they’d been fighting before- why their partnership had started so difficultly.

They were meant to be lovers, mates, married, partners in battle- just everything. Feeling overwhelmed with pleasure, Naruto made sure to praise Sasuke, and the omega scoffed, but his cheeks glowed with happiness, and he nuzzled the alpha as they rested together.

Naruto felt a rush of tender emotion and kissed his omega deeply, stroking over the small rounding made by the life inside the omega’s belly. For all that Naruto could do- he definitely couldn’t do that. For this reason, his appreciation of Sasuke was endless. Sasuke seemed equally pleased about his state, even smug as he guided Naruto’s palm to the tiny little movements. Based on how Naruto thought the two future parents felt, the child they brought to the world would be adored. He prayed with each breath that he’d get to keep them both. Sasuke was strong, but Minato had been strong too. Naruto kissed his first again, putting those thoughts out of his mind.

When they eventually separated, Naruto knotted his other bride too (such a good girl, patiently waiting), making sure to mix his scent into hers well. It should be clear who she belonged to. He spent several days resting with his mates in relative peace. Sometimes, he thought of the Uchiha lands' situation, and it bothered him, but he’d received leave from Tsunade to be with his weakened wives, who were both pregnant. That task was as vital to him as fighting. Other warriors should defend the Leaf and the other villages. He believed the capable clan leaders could handle the situation without him. After all, he was only a soldier.

He had nearly convinced himself of that and was settling into the idea that he’d only observe this war from afar and serve as a refuge for his friends that got hurt like Ino had, until one morning he woke up and came upon his second bitterly weeping. He knelt beside her. “Hinata- what’s wrong?”

Hinata showed him the letter. The characters were smudged with her tears, but Naruto knew a condolence letter when he saw one. Someone had died on the battlefield. And with Hinata crying like this, it had to be someone close to her. “My father has died,” she revealed, tearfully. Naruto was silent. He didn't know how to comfort someone over a loss like that. He could only hold her close and let her grief run its course. “That means they’re going to send Hanabi,” Hinata sobbed.

That hadn’t even occurred to him. “She’s basically a kid,” Naruto growled, surprised. Hinata, curled against his chest, nodded in emphatic agreement.

“She’s next in line and a presented alpha,” Hinata replied in between sobs. That was apparently good enough for the clan elders. Naruto didn’t understand it, but if the way they kept their omega was any sign, it made sense that they would treat their young alpha’s just as harshly, only in different ways. “Even though it pains me to ask, I need you to-”

“I’ll go right away,” Naruto swore, taking her hands in his own and kissing her knuckles. They didn’t have to talk about it anymore. He’d seen what they were facing. It wasn’t a typical battle, and Hanabi was barely out of childhood.

“Be safe,” Hinata whimpered. Naruto could see in her eyes that she knew she was sending him into danger. He did not doubt that if she weren’t ill and with child, she would find some way to go and help Hanabi herself in whatever way she could. He would go in her place. In his mind, Hanabi was as good as his own sister.

“I’ll do my best,” he promised. He held her until she was able to stop crying, and she gave him silent permission to leave, turning her mournful face toward the window. Naruto would have to tell Sasuke to take care of her. Otherwise, his first would sink into himself, and no one would be there to comfort his second.

Naruto went back to the sleeping room and spent a moment in the doorway, watching his omega rest peacefully. Sasuke had worked hard on their travels. He’d gotten up early, walked hours, fought, all while nurturing a life. He’d done it all without complaining. But the way he’d been sleeping the past few days showed that their journey had taken it out of him, even if the omega would never admit it.

Naruto stepped into the room, knelt by the bed, and did the thing he dreaded most. It hurt him to wake the omega up from much-deserved sleep, only to give him painful news. But Naruto also knew how furious Sasuke would be if he left without saying so. “Wake up, love,” he mourned, stroking the omega’s cheek with his thumb.

Sasuke’s eyes fluttered, he purred softly, pressing his cheek into the alpha’s palm. “Naruto.” His dark lashes brushed Naruto’s fingertips as Sasuke turned his lips to the alpha’s hand. “Good morning.”

Naruto suppressed a groan of frustration. Sasuke was being loving, and he had to ruin it. “I have to go back.” Sasuke’s gentle and drowsy eyes sharpened, and the betrayed look Naruto faced made his chest hurt. He couldn’t sugar coat it. It would just hurt more in the end. “Hiashi died, and Hanabi needs me,” he told his mate plainly.

Sasuke winced but didn’t argue, and Naruto knew he understood why Naruto needed to go to Hanabi instead of staying home with his mates. “You said I,” Sasuke accused tersely, his eyes widening on sudden realization. “But you can’t mean-”

“Alone. I do,” the alpha replied gently but firmly.

“Then, I was a burden.” Sasuke’s dark eyes slipped away from his and left Naruto feeling strangely alone. The omega’s pale-pink mouth wavered into a displeased shape. “I failed to be useful.”

Naruto shook his head, touching Sasuke’s shoulders and turning the young omega back to face him. “You’re an amazing partner, and I wish I’d always had you,” he swore, honestly.

“Then-” the omega began to argue.

“But you’re also pregnant, and you got hurt,” Naruto reminded him. Sasuke scowled. “That wasn’t a normal enemy,” Naruto soothed, stroking the omega’s lip. Sasuke bore it, but his brows were drawn, and his mouth was pouty. He accepted Naruto’s gentle kiss, but it didn’t seem to make him happy. “I want you in perfect condition before you try to fight again,” Naruto sighed. His mate was so perfect, but also so difficult.

“Are you fully healed?” Sasuke asked sharply. Naruto didn’t remember getting injured, so Sasuke must have noticed how that thing had affected his seal.

“I’ll heal on the way,” Naruto told his omega quickly.

“So will I,” Sasuke decided just as simply.

“And if you don’t?” Naruto growled, frustration beginning to bubble out. What the omega said next took it all out of him, though.

“Then I’ll die with you,” the omega told him with perfect, calm certainty. “I may not be an Uchiha in name, but I still-”

“No!” Naruto interrupted. Just hearing those words had made his heart race with panic. Maybe it was because of that that he failed to control his tone when he spoke again. “Are you my omega, or aren’t you?” the alpha snarled, showing his fangs like a beast. He was ashamed, even as it happened.

The omega’s eyes twitched, and from Sasuke, that was as much as a flinch. “I’m yours,” Sasuke eventually swore, lowering his eyes. His mouth wavered again as if he wanted to argue but was holding it in.

“Then obey me, and stay here,” Naruto begged, lowering his voice as much as he could. He kissed Sasuke’s hands pleadingly, and the omega let him do it. He hadn’t taken Naruto’s aggressive reaction personally, or Naruto would have found himself shocked severely, but the alpha still kicked himself for it.

The omega didn’t speak, but he stared at Naruto, his scent filling itself with distress as each second went by.

Naruto knew Sasuke wanted to protect him, but Naruto wanted the same. Seeing how that thing had affected Sasuke, who even pregnant hadn’t complained about their travels until he’d been confronted with it, it made him instinctively afraid. How suddenly and violently they’d both taken ill had made Naruto sure that that thing could affect their seals. There was no way he’d take the omega back near it until he wasn’t under contract anymore. Sasuke bit his lip.

“If you die and I’m not by your side, I don’t think I can live,” the omega finally spoke.

“Yes, you can,” Naruto told him. “You have to,” he laid his hand over Sasuke’s belly. “Understand?”

“Yes,” Sasuke relented, nodding. He didn’t like it. Neither did the alpha, but he disliked the way the battlefield was looking more. “I’m unhappy,” Sasuke stated openly, visibly unsure of how else to express it.

“Let’s not fight,” the alpha murmured, mirrored grief twisting his chest. He didn’t want to leave either. “I don’t want to leave like that.” Sasuke nodded and pulled the alpha close, embracing him tightly. Naruto tipped his face up and kissed him.

“Naruto-” Sasuke sighed, squeezing his mate tightly. “I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you even more,” Naruto told him between kisses. They’d decided to make love instead of fight, and Sasuke’s scent began to shift to show it. His full, fertile aroma only enhanced his usual aroused scent, and Naruto took deep breaths of it, nuzzling and kissing and nipping at their mark until Sasuke was whining and quivering against him. “Your scent is so full,” Naruto growled. “Look how it makes me.”

“Show me,” Sasuke purred. Naruto obeyed, pulling his throbbing cock out. The omega inhaled sharply, letting his fingers lightly trace its rigid, twitching length. Sasuke moaned softly, cupping it gently in both his hands and rubbing it against the milky skin of his belly. Naruto growled. What were these teasing little touches? “What?” The omega asked, making his eyes wide with a mockery of innocence.

“Precious first.” Naruto groaned in frustration, pushing his mate’s thighs flat against the ground. Sasuke smirked, going smoothly and languidly askew. Such a tease. “Can I?” He asked, pushing up Sasuke’s robes so he could see all his mate’s lovely skin. Sasuke’s slit was flushed a deep pink and twitched invitingly. The omega coyly covered his expression with his fingers but left his sex prettily exposed.

“Please-” Sasuke allowed, tipping his hips up impatiently. Naruto had been staring, but he could take what he wanted.

“I’ll miss this part,” he growled, nudging Sasuke’s slit with his cock. The omega let out a soft cry as Naruto thrust through him, his fingers curling against his parted mouth as he convulsed in pleasure.

“I bet you will,” Sasuke gasped, his lips parting on another cry. Naruto drank up the sound, grinding his hips against his mate’s. He loved how helpless Sasuke let himself be, how easily he gave his body over.

“I love you,” Naruto promised, and it gave him so much relief to see that there was no distrust for that left in Sasuke’s eyes. But it hurt to see it replaced with worry. He pressed kisses all over his mate’s fair face and throat. “Be safe,” he begged. “Be safe.” Sasuke nodded. “While I’m gone, only worry about yourself and this one, not me.” He touched the side of his mate’s soft tummy. “Understand?”

“I do,” Sasuke replied reluctantly. Then with a heavy sigh, he added: “I love you, too.”

“Was that so hard?” Naruto teased, Sasuke's expression seemed to shift, and in a moment, tears were running from his eyes, bunching up his pretty black lashes. “Oh no,” Naruto panicked, brushing away the drops from his first’s cheeks. What had he done? “Shh. Shh.” Naruto held Sasuke until those little hitches in his breathing stopped. The omega didn’t say anything more and didn’t even really seem like he could look at the alpha without upsetting himself again.

The omega let out such a soft, pathetic whimper as they untied that it nearly broke Naruto’s heart. He wanted to take Sasuke- to take them both, but he knew he shouldn’t.

Beneath him was his mate, who was wet from his seed, and whose body was weighed down by the alpha’s heir. Mixed in with Sasuke’s release and fertile scent were grief and abandonment. The combination made his nose twitch in confusion. How could he be separate from Sasuke? How could Naruto make him suffer this way?

Neither of them wanted to let go, their hands lingering together even as they slipped apart. Both knew this could be their last time seeing each other, even if Naruto refused to speak it.

Naruto packed rations, and butchered the rest of the deer, and buried it in the snow for Hinata to put away later. The armor his sire gave him fit well. He hadn’t worn it before, feeling confident, but after what he’d seen, he knew it was best to take extra precaution instead of risking being underprepared. He had to do his best to make sure he survived for his loves, for his family that was just now beginning to form.

He took the path that crossed his sire’s property to leave. If he saw her, they could talk before he had to go. There she was, standing by the gate. She must have scented him preparing to go and wanted to say goodbye. Itachi was by her side. If he could shore about the courage, Naruto would ask the elder Uchiha to look after Sasuke and Hinata.

But… her reaction was not what Naruto had expected. Before he could explain, she was already cutting him down. “You can’t leave,” his sire growled, grabbing his shoulder hard enough that it felt like his bones were grinding under pressure. “What about the Uchiha?”

“He’ll be safer here,” Naruto argued. “He’s been better since getting home.”

“Naruto, listen-” Kushina started.

Naruto jerked out from under her hand. “If I don't go, Hanabi will lead a charge alone,” he told her. “I know you don’t like the Hyuuga, but-”

“I’m indifferent to them,” Kushina corrected. “And I care even less for the Uchiha.” Her mind seemed to catch, and she stopped to apologize to her omega. “Except you, my treasure,” she promised Itachi, who stood just beside his alpha. The Uchiha inclined his head briefly. “But what’s at stake here is your line-”

Naruto scowled. “So for the sake of my line… I should just wait for them to come here and kill us?” Kushina glared right back at him, but he kept going. “You weren’t able to protect your mate, so don’t try to tell me how to keep mine.” He was a different kind of alpha from her. He would go out of his way for his omega, and he didn’t think it made him any less their alpha.

The slap that cracked across his face shocked him, but… in hindsight, he had deserved that. He didn’t doubt Kushina had done everything for his mother. Otherwise, his passing wouldn’t have crushed her like that. His eyes began to prickle, but he refused to cry in front of her. This felt… just like before he’d moved to leaf. Kushina shook him. “I’m telling you you’re risking him by parting from him!” she growled at him, grabbing his face. “What an asshole child,” she snarled.

Naruto had no choice but to snarl back. He was too old to submit, whining and injured, only to run back to the beach house till they cooled down enough to be around each other again. Things couldn’t go back to how they’d been.

He shoved her hand away and growled as threateningly as he could. She dared to look amused. “I’m an adult alpha. And I kicked your ass.”

Kushina’s mouth twitched, and Naruto felt his claws lengthen. He wanted to fight her. He wanted to fight her so badly. Something about her smug face just made it so hard to remember not to slip and become feral. His human shape felt like paper around him. “Did you?” She asked, mocking curiosity. “Or did I just push you into knotting your mates, as you should?”

“If I hadn’t knotted him, I could have taken him with me now,” Naruto argued. “So what kind of fucked up logic is that?”

Kushina shrugged. “You wouldn’t have kept him without doing it. The girl maybe.” And maybe that was true. Hearing it made Naruto’s belly sink. He also didn’t like that Kushina might have been manipulating him then. Either that or she was manipulating him now. Both times? He hated her for doing this. Couldn’t she just be straightforward and let him make his own choices?

“I don’t have time for this,” he growled. “You didn’t see that thing. I think it’s what you hoped it wasn’t.” Kushina’s confidence withered, and her eyes colored with real worry. “Old ritual objects. A giant wooden puppet. When we saw it- it was like our seals began to undo.” Naruto bit his lip. “Don’t tell him. I didn’t want him to panic, but-” Kushina nodded, her expression grim. Naruto felt relief. It seemed like she would agree after hearing that. “So you see why I can’t take him.”

“That’s bad news, and yes, it is dangerous for him there,” his sire accepted. “If you would just stop and listen, I still think you should-”

Naruto cut his hand through the air, and his sire actually fell silent. “Well, it’s not up to you.” Not wanting to be delayed anymore, he turned and left. The sooner he got there, the sooner he could deal with this and come back home. At the very least, he had to make sure none of those creatures made it out this way, to where his clan and his friends were.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I took my test! Hopefully, I did well enough!
> 
> Here is your smut. Except there's no smut in this chapter. Whoops.   
> However, I might have to add new tags next week after what happens in chapter 11. Youknowumsayin? You know.
> 
> Thanks to those of you who leave delightful reviews. Even in Spanish! 
> 
> My hand slipped during my studying and I mapped out some part three- not sure if I should add it here, or make its own thing. Love Fever Terminus is sitting in my scrivener and looking like it might be a real thing.
> 
> Enjoy

The next leg of Naruto’s journey was not as simple as the previous one. The young alpha had to take the long way using paths he knew and on human legs. It was outside of the time when he could change well. He also knew he’d have less chance of finding the Hyuuga without a trail, so he first went to Leaf, caught the Hyuuga warriors’ scents there, and followed it towards the Uchiha lands.

When he arrived, he caught Hanabi’s particular scent, and as he got closer, he was relieved to find it wasn’t bloody. “Hanabi,” he greeted, hurrying up to her. Naruto felt guilty, though, and he’d been worrying about this meeting for a good part of his journey. Hanabi’s eyes widened as she realized he was there, and he winced. “Listen, I just wanted to-”

“Naruto!” She tackled and hugged him, then seemed to realize what she’d done, and smoothed her clothing and her expression. “I’m so glad to see you again,” she chirped at him. “I never got to thank you for helping my sister.”

“You knew?” Naruto asked, his body relaxing. He wouldn’t have to worry about explaining if she knew. 

“Well, of course?” Hanabi replied, smirking at him a little. She folded her arms. “You’re a little slow, aren’t you?” She tapped her forehead significantly. “Of course, I knew Hinata was back for Neji. She would never go through with leaving just to come crawling back to father.” So her wide-eyed begging Hinata to come home had been performance too.

“Hey!” He playfully grabbed her collar, shaking her lightly like he might his sibling if he’d had one. “Watch it, runt.” 

“I’m tall for my age,” Hanabi corrected him, plucking his hand off her. Then she turned a little more serious, bowing. “I’m relieved to have you here. I can’t wait to throw you at things.” She paused, giving him big eyes. “You’ll be in my forces, won’t you?”

“Uh-huh,” he agreed. It was the best place to protect Hanabi. The best place to lend any tactical advice he had for her, too. “Send me out wherever you want.” He shrugged. “I basically can’t die.”

“Well, at least get settled in first,” Hanabi laughed. Naruto grinned at her. Both alpha’s paused when a fine-boned omega girl with orange pigtails snuck over to them and pressed herself against Hanabi’s side. Naruto hadn’t known Hanabi was mated, but by their manner and scents, it was obvious to him that they were bonded and really in love. “Moegi, I told you to wait for me,” Hanabi scolded gently, tucking her closer. She wasn’t supposed to be in this part of the camp as a young omega, certainly not alone. Naruto shifted his position so it would be harder to see her.

“I got lonely. It's so late,” Moegi replied, pouting. She put her head on Hanabi’s shoulder, rubbing her cheek against the fabric of her mate’s robes. Naruto himself had no idea what time it was since darkness fell so early in the mid-winter months. He took her word for it. Was he tired? Physically for sure, but he was skeptical that he’d be able to sleep if he laid down.

“I know,” Hanabi sighed. She gave Naruto an apologetic look. “You know how omega can be.” Naruto nodded. He did. He wanted to be his own lover’s sides as much as they wanted to be by his. “You walk with me, but you have to keep quiet when the alphas are talking, or they’ll question my authority,” Hanabi reminded Moegi, pushing a strand of Moegi’s orange hair back and linking elbows with her.

“I’ll be good as long as I can be with you,” Moegi promised, grinning. To compensate for holding her omega gently, Naruto watched Hanabi stiffen her spine, standing taller and straighter. Her expression became emptier as well, and she pulled all her emotion into herself.

“Follow me,” Hanabi ordered, her voice prim. Naruto fell into step behind them. She showed him the camp’s most critical locations: strategy, the healers’ tent, barracks, and where meals would be made. She brought him to one of the tents in the barracks at the end of their tour. It was empty, with rolled-up sleeping things inside. “This is where you can stay. Ours is right there, with the Hyuuga symbol.” The tent had enough room that he could have had both Hinata and Sasuke if they were well. Just then, Hanabi made a face and asked: “You didn’t bring anyone? Hinata, or your first?”

“They hadn’t been feeling well, so I decided to leave them,” Naruto sighed. 

“So you’re in for some manual labor.” Hanabi delivered it so deadpan that Naruto didn’t catch on right away what the young alpha meant.

“Hanabi!” Moegi cried, flushing. She covered her burning cheeks with her hands. “You alphas are the worst,” she accused. She turned on her mate and started lightly punching Hanabi’s arm.

“So this is what you’re like-” Naruto began, but he couldn’t remind Hanabi so callously of her father’s absence. “Piss off, kid.” He tried to cover it up, but it seemed that Hanabi was busy enough fending off Moegi’s outrage that she didn’t even notice. Though he was sure she was grieving, it was easy to be young and live in the moment.

“Strategy in an hour,” Hanabi told Naruto, pinning Moegi against her and letting the omega struggle, giggling, against the band of her arms. After a second, Moegi seemed to give up and was just happily leaning against Hanabi till the alpha let go and offered her partner a hand instead. “C’mon, Moegi. I’ll comfort you before then so you can sleep.”

“Okay.” Moegi went with Hanabi out of the tent, and Naruto was left to himself. 

Naruto felt painfully lonely, but at least he’d only have an hour to suffer. When it seemed right, he crossed the camp and went towards the large strategy tent. The front was marked with the Senju’s clan symbol. Passing under it used to make him terrified, but since Tsunade and Jiraiya had decided to support him, it had been more comfortable. He was excited to see them, even though they would have to keep him distant in front of everyone.

“Naruto, glad you’ve arrived-” he was greeted by the matriarch as soon as he entered the strategy tent. Lady Tsunade sat just behind Jiraiya, but he was only there so no one would try her, and it showed in his leaned back posture. “You scouted the area in question,” she stated, for the benefit of all the other clan heads. “Are there any other points of interest I should know about?”

“I reported mostly everything last time.” Naruto bowed to her respectfully before crossing the room. He also nodded at Hanabi specifically. A Hyuuga alpha stood by her side, and hand placed stiffly on her shoulder. He did not bow back to Naruto, though Hanabi determinedly resisted his grip to bow to Naruto.

He walked over to the strategy table and pushed their figurines aside so he’d have room to spread things out.“The symbols, the bodies. But I have drawings this time.” Sasuke had done them, using his perfect memory to copy the likenesses of the enemies and curiosities they’d seen. Naruto had them rolled up in a bamboo tube he’d carried there on his back. All the alphas and the lady clustered close to see the papers he spread out. Jiraiya used some of the scattered war figurines to weigh down the furling papers.

Tsunade stepped forward and touched up the enormous wooden creature’s picture, seeming to count how many of its eyes were open. She bit her lip, but she didn’t say anything. 

“We think this puppet, named Gedo Mazo, is the source of these... creatures. It’s powered ancient black magics once used by the Uchiha clan.” He knew that voice. He turned and met the evil eyes of Uchiha Fugaku, who’d come to stand next to him to inspect the images closely.

“You confirmed?” Naruto asked, keeping the growl out of his voice. He met the alpha’s rage-filled stare evenly. Naruto wasn’t afraid of him at all.

“We did. It’s not one of us, though,” Fugaku finally answered, averting his eyes. “We don’t understand how someone would acquire or use these things. Even among us, they are forbidden.” Naruto made a face. Well, they’d been using objects that looked very similar to conduct ceremonies since Sasuke had recognized them as that. Something here wasn’t entirely right. Naruto narrowed his eyes, but before he could speak up, Tsunade interrupted. 

“How did you find these artifacts?” she asked Naruto. Lady Tsunade was only asking helpful questions to clear all the information up, so Naruto answered again, even though he’d already told her in private.

“In a hut, the night before we encountered the… puppet?” he pointed to its likeness, to make sure he was right.

“Yes,” Tsunade confirmed. “How did you find it?”

Naruto shrugged. “We followed the Gedo Mazo’s large sphere of chakra and came upon the hut by chance. We slept there to get out of the weather. It must be related to the person who summoned it.”

Fugaku added: “Only a witch’s unique body can produce the eyes and chakras necessary to handle these artifacts properly. Even if they gained access to such tools, they should not know how.”

That much was true. Sasuke had held both things and had seemed frustrated and confused. But then again, they’d been planning to discard Sasuke to Orochimaru. Wouldn’t they have made sure to keep dangerous knowledge from him in case the snake sage managed to extract it?

“This generation’s clan heads produced two such omega, didn’t they?” Tsunade asked, sitting back down. “Is there a chance you could not control them?”

“We did everything we could,” Fugaku growled. “We even had to engage with Orochi, for what little good that did us.”

Jiraiya sat up slightly, his eyes narrowing, ready to protect her if needed. Even sitting, he looked enormous. If he weren’t there, Naruto would have defended her. No one should growl at the lady Tsunade. “One of them is with him,” Tsunade reminded, gesturing at Naruto. She turned to him, her expression intense with her need for information. “Well, is it possible?”

“Why are you talking about Sasuke and Itachi that way?” Naruto asked, shaking his head. “You are... talking about them, right?”

“Yes,” she replied, her face gentling when she realized how Naruto felt. “Apologies. Could it be Sasuke or Itachi?”

Naruto nodded. “Well, Sasuke is at home feeling sick,” he replied quietly, not needing that spread. Louder, he added: “Those things we saw attacked us aggressively, so I doubt it was Sasuke. He also had no idea how to use the artifacts, and the puppet injured him.”

“Then that still leaves Itachi,” spoke another alpha. “He always was the stronger of the two.” Naruto didn’t think it was that simple. Itachi was more experienced in battle, but rituals and summonings required different forms of strength. Sasuke’s chakra- the casual way he mastered so much of it was unlike anything Naruto was used to seeing. Unlike Itachi, Sasuke had still barely been trained. Naruto thought Sasuke would have been better at summoning such a beast. For obvious reasons, he said nothing about it.

“Uchiha Itachi is dead,” one of the alpha’s argued. “Even if he is somewhere clinging to life, he must be heat sick. How can it be him?” Naruto blinked. That was right. Nobody knew about Itachi showing up at the seaside. He’d gone missing from the mainland with a recently dead mate and hadn’t sent word home of his whereabouts or doings for several months.

“You said he vanished after his alpha died,” Tsunade turned the question to Fugaku, inclining her head to show she’d like his input.

“That doesn’t mean he’s dead. Itachi is uncommon,” Fugaku admitted. Naruto scowled. Mikoto had seemed entirely sure about it when they had accused Sasuke of his death. He wouldn’t put such a lie past them. It was also possible that Fugaku kept even Mikoto in the dark. “We should institute a manhunt.”

Naruto wanted to be shocked with how easily Fugaku turned, proposing to hunt his own kin, but it wasn’t much of a surprise anymore. “Itachi’s with my sire. They’re bonded now,” Naruto corrected. There was stunned and possibly outraged silence, but Naruto shrugged. Better they knew where he was than them hunting them down with death already on their minds. 

If the Uchiha alpha had been furious before- there weren’t words for what showed on his face when he realized his son was mated to Uzumaki Kushina. Naruto nearly laughed. If he ever saw how suited they were, he’d probably shit himself. “That foul beast-” he swore, “That festering fox-pelt of a woman thinks that we owe her just because her rabid siblings-” Naruto snarled, losing all mirth. Kushina was still his sire. If the Uchiha clan leader wasn’t careful…

“So either two of them are not the ones doing this,” Akimichi Chouza spoke up, interrupting their argument. “Or the two demons are in on it.” Choji made a sound of protest beside him, but his father silenced him with a wave of his hand. “Which do you think is more likely.” Chouji was a good person, and Naruto welcomed him onto his team for some missions, but from what Naruto had gathered, Chouza had faced his sire at some point, and he bore a grudge against their clan since then.

“That’s bullshit,” Naruto growled.

“Let Inoichi check your memories,” Chouza argued, growing in size as he tried to dominate the space inside the tent. But Naruto knew battles were not won by size, and if it came to it, he could become even larger. “That’s the only way to trust a demon-spawn like you.”

“Back off. I’m not hiding anything,” he let his low warning growl fill the tent. Kurama’s chakra bubbled through him as he prepared to defend himself. It wasn’t often that the Leaf alliance and the Uchiha turned against the same target. But apparently, they didn’t need anything so threatening as the summoned puppet they’d seen. Naruto and Kushina’s existence was enough.

“We need to know. We must see if we should take action.” Chouza argued, sneering. “Otherwise, we’ll have no choice but to hunt the two witches down, just to be safe.” Naruto bared his teeth. That was a threat. That was a direct threat against his first and his sire’s mate.

“How dare you?” Naruto snarled. “The omega of the Uzumaki clan will not be eliminated for something as petty as your peace of mind.”

“What about our world?” Tsunade asked, her soft voice cutting through all their growling.

“What?” Naruto stopped short, looking at the Senju matriarch.

“This thing- if completed, could mean the eradication of our world,” she revealed. “Every living being with chakra.” Naruto folded his arms and tried to get himself under control.

He met Inoichi’s light, teal-colored eyes and made his offer. It was the best he could do: “You can check if you swear not to reveal anything more than you have to,” Naruto relented. “If your tongue slips, and you endanger my family, I will kill you, and I will kill one of your family members for each of my own clan harmed, I swear it.” And it would be his right to do so, too, after a public announcement like this.   
None of the other clans could intervene in an oath like this if Inojin Yamanaka chose to accept. It would be up to the clan alone to defend itself, and Naruto knew that if he put his mind to it, he could slaughter the Yamanaka clan in an afternoon. He could tell that the alpha believed him, too. Inojin’s fists trembled slightly at his sides. Naruto didn’t grin, but Kurama wanted to. “Do you still want to check?” He asked, holding his arms against his sides so he wouldn’t show his claws.

Yamanaka Inojin hesitated, considering his options carefully, and Chouza looked so angry he might explode and expand his body fully right inside the tent. Naruto began to think about how he would defeat that person if it came down to a fight. “I’ll check for you, father,” a female voice spoke up. He recognized her. “Naruto trusts me, and I don’t plan on changing that so that it will be safe for the clan.”

“Ino,” Naruto realized. But how had she healed so fast? He’d known Ino had walked home, but how was she well enough to return to battle already? Sakura must be even more talented than he’d thought. He knew it was a good idea to bring the healer into his household. Plus, Sasuke really seemed to like her.

“I promise I would never risk your family,” Ino swore, her hand over her heart. “I’ll die first.” She stepped closer, and he caught Sakura’s scent clinging lightly onto her. It was so faint, to begin with, but Naruto knew both of them well. Their scents were joining together into a flowery perfume, and if he didn’t know better, he would have said they smelled really compatible.

The scents from home calmed him down a good deal, even until there was no demon chakra raging outside his skin. He bowed his head to show it was safe to touch him. “Yeah.” He was okay with it if it was Ino. But the older generation seemed somehow treacherous and cruel. He didn’t trust them with his memories, after what they’d already done to Sasuke and Itachi, and even him. “I know you won’t.”

Ino reached out and touched his temples. Her hands were cool compared to his skin, which Kurama’s chakra had made hot. He could tell which thoughts she was looking at, though he knew she could do it without leaving a trace. Ino was a good person and polite. She wouldn’t snoop on things that she had no business with.

“He doesn’t believe he’s lying.” That made him twitch, but he tried not to react to it. Ino was just trying to seem unbiased, so they would believe what she said. “As far as I can see, Sasuke shows no desire to do anything against either clan. He’s ill like Naruto said.” Ino paused for a moment, seeming to think about what she was going to say next. Naruto hoped she would keep being careful.   
“Itachi is harder to understand, but based on Naruto’s memories, he’s focused on finding a suitable mate to avoid further heat sickness. And he’s found his match in Kushina.” Naruto nodded, that was true. “Neither of them have been seen by Naruto or been suspected by him of actively conspiring against either the Leaf or the Uchiha.” It was kind of her to hide their conspiracies to free Neji and Itachi, and Ino’s wink as she stepped back told him she knew that too.

“You’re training him?” Hanabi’s overbearing guardian asked Naruto. “Why?”

“He asked me to. He wanted to help me.” Naruto was sick and tired of people being suspicious of Sasuke. The omega had never done anything to deserve this type of broad distrust. “Sasuke went with me on the recon mission that you are all using information from. Those are his drawings,” he added, pointing at the pictures. “He got hurt on that mission, which is the only reason he’s not with me right now.”

Some of the alpha’s faces changed when they heard that. Others didn’t. “I need to think.” Tsunade folded her hands and rested her forehead on them. “You can all disperse and focus on defense for now.”

“But Lady Senju-” Hanabi’s chaperone spoke up. He fixed Naruto with a narrow gaze. “We haven’t decided on-” He wanted that manhunt, Naruto would wager. No wonder Hinata had sent him, this man was a danger to Hanabi, and she was basically still a child for her part. She didn’t know how to overrule an adult alpha with years of experience on her. In Naruto’s opinion, she shouldn’t have to try.

Luckily, his mentors were there. “You heard her,” Jiraiya growled, narrowing his eyes. “Begone.”

“Lord Ogata,” the Hyuuga relented, bowing and taking Hanabi with him. The girl gave Naruto an apologetic look as she was basically dragged off. Naruto would find a way to deal with that man. He just didn’t know how yet.

“Naruto, stay behind,” she called, as even he turned to leave. The young alpha went closer to the bonded pair. He cast a look over their plans mixed with Sasuke’s drawings of the puppet, the artifacts, and the strange white creatures. Naruto sighed, touching one of the images, and missing its creator.

“That Itachi-” she asked. “I know what Ino and the Uchiha head said, but how do you feel about him?”

Naruto couldn't lie. “He's a terrifying fighter. He’s the one who wounded me when I hesitated.” Tsunade grimaced, remembering healing those injuries herself. “But he loves Sasuke so much, and I think my sire’s keeping him happy enough.” The rich scent sprung to his mind. Becoming pregnant had softened Itachi’s ravaging forest fire to a warm, woody fireplace. “They're expecting already.”

“How expecting?” Tsunade asked, a glimmer of relief showing in her eyes. Naruto understood. Though not impossible, it was very doubtful that an omega awaiting a child would do something that would end the lives of all beings with chakra.

“Enough that Kushina’s not letting him wander off the property without her,” Naruto answered. “And you know she has no reason to do this. She’s been outside of clan politics for years.” Every time he had to come and bicker around at strategy, he remembered why. Usually, he took his missions directly from the lord and lady to cut down on these conflicts. In strategy meetings, or when he had to reveal what he’d learned, it just wasn’t always possible, though. The Leaf alphas always found a reason to take issue with him.

“Thank you,” Tsunade sighed, nodding and pouring herself another drink. She had a pretty blue and white ceramic set she was using to serve herself sake. “I'm comforted by that.” Naruto sat down cross-legged on a mat beside them, now that the tent was empty. Before, there had been people lingering outside that would have noticed him dropping formality. “I believe what you say.” She served another cup and tipped it into his mouth. Naruto shivered, a warm rush working through him.

Tsunade seemed to think for a moment. “There’s another omega that might be involved, so I’ll need you to leave camp and meet someone.” Naruto made a face, and Lady Tsunade laughed, ruffling his hair. “I know you just got here, kid, but you’re the only one I can ask to do this.”

“Who am I talking to?” Naruto asked, licking his lips. The alcohol reminded him. He could use a meal. He made puppy-eyes at Tsunade, and the meat buns Jiraiya had set beside her, and she indulged him by giving him one.

“The omega in question might have been a witch,” Jiraiya spoke, sitting down beside his bondmate. “You need to go see Hatake Kakashi, who was close with him before his disappearance.”

“How long?” Naruto asked, nervous about leaving Hanabi. “I’m supposed to be here to support the Hyuuga.”

“Just a few days round-trip,” Tsunade promised. “You could reach there tonight, but I don’t imagine he’ll be in any mood to see you till the morning. His name is Kakashi Hatake, and he lingers in the woods near the Uchiha lands, raising his wolf-hounds.”

“Okay,” Naruto agreed. “That’s not too far. I’ll go.”

“This was his.” Jiraiya handed him an eye patch that had a faint but discernible canine smell still clinging to it. “This is why we needed you to go. He roves around the woods instead of staying put, so he can be a real bitch to pin down.” Naruto didn’t know how old this item was, but the scent was just present enough that he thought he’d be able to find that person. “Be careful, kid,” his mentor warned him. “Lots of Zetsu’s out there.”

“What?”

“These,” Jiraiya explained, tapping the picture of the white, man-shaped creatures. “The Uchiha revealed their names to us.”

“Right,” Naruto agreed, beginning to get up. “I’ll hurry.”

“Before you go, tell me how you’ve been,” Tsunade asked, touching his hand. He settled back to kneeling in front of her. She gave him another meat bun to slow him down, and Naruto gratefully bit into it. Fluffy and sweet, it was everything he needed. “We haven’t had a chance to talk. How are those mates of yours? And my young prodigy, Sakura?”

“Hinata lost a baby at first-” Naruto admitted. “But she’s pregnant again! Sasuke is carrying well. At least five cycles. When I left, he was looking a little squishy.” Tsunade snorted, amused with his description. But it was true. “Sakura… is getting a little close with Ino, I think,” he revealed, leaning close and whispering theatrically.

“That would be a good match,” Tsunade replied, nodding thoughtfully. Naruto was a bit surprised that she agreed. He’d thought the older, traditional omega would be more shocked.

“But- Sakura’s a beta,” Naruto admitted, voicing his own worries. He cared about Sakura a lot, and he knew Tsunade did too. Did she think that Sakura should get her hopes up? “Do you really think Ino will... Ino is someone who might if I think about it- but her parents might not.”

“Did you know sometimes a beta will present for the correct mate?” Tsunade told him, instead of giving her opinion.

“Really?” Naruto asked. He’d never heard that before.

“Yes. But parents want a sure thing when arranging marriages.” Tsunade folded her arms, leaning back in her seat. “You can’t rely on a beta to present to a person they don’t want. That causes political problems between families.” She poured herself yet another drink. “A lot of things we say are natural are politics,” Tsunade sighed, rubbing her eyes. Naruto wanted to stick around her and help her till she looked a bit less run down, but he’d already been given a job to do.

“That whole witch thing is one too, isn’t it?” He asked. “Political.”

“It’s just extreme talent, which happens to appear in some omega of the Uchiha. If an alpha did it, we would cheer,” Tsunade confirmed.

“Yeah,” Naruto answered. He thought of Sasuke. “… I miss him,” he admitted, feeling melancholy.

“You big baby,” Jiraiya teased. “Already whipped?” Naruto wrinkled up his nose. “Whipped and pleased about it then,” Jiraiya concluded, pointing at him.

Instead of commenting on that, Tsunade just joined in on her alpha’s teasing. “Never had anyone waiting desperately for you at home before, huh?” Tsunade asked, pinching his cheeks. They really were matched.

“Wah-” Naruto cried. “Granny, let go!”

“Is he a good mate?” Jiraiya asked as Naruto rubbed the pinch out of his cheeks.

“He’s terrible,” Naruto answered, grinning. “But also, amazing.”

“I get it,” Tsunade laughed, her pretty honey color eyes sparkling at him. “Jiraiya is trash too.” Her mate shouted wordlessly behind her, but she ignored him, fondly stroking Naruto’s face with her thumb. He leaned into the maternal affection, encouraging her to pet his hair too, which she did. “You have to bring your children to see me. You know that, right?”

Naruto wanted to, he really did. But… “To be honest, the way things are sounding, I don’t think I’ll be traveling with an Uchiha child in all this.” Naruto shook his head. Hinata and Sasuke’s child- would surely be what they called a witch. He absolutely couldn’t risk it. And his child with Sasuke? It didn’t even bear thinking about who might want to kidnap the little one. After all, Naruto himself had been nearly snatched many times. That’s why he’d gotten so good at escaping and surviving in the woods. “We might just stay at the coast till this is all over.” That was where Uzumaki alpha were strongest, and it was out of the way.

Her eyes showed understanding. She seemed to think for a moment. “Then I’ll come to you in utter secrecy. I won’t be cheated out of this,” Tsunade decided. “You’ll write to me when they’re born. Understood?”

“Right,” Naruto agreed. Having the Sannin visit Kushina’s land might be a little tense, but Naruto could make it happen, and he was sure Hinata would help him get the house ready. “Yeah.” He wasn’t worried about their lodgings being good enough though, both of them had spent more time living on the road, or in camps, or healing temples, than on their estates. They had taught Naruto a lot about that.

Feeling better after being comforted by the lady, he got up and bowed. Naruto exited their tent and found the Hyuuga heiress waiting outside his own tent for him. Unfortunately, he had bad news. “Hanabi. I’m going to do recon and find someone called Kakashi.” He made the seal and slapped his shadow clone’s shoulder once it formed. “This is my clone. If you need me, just punch him out, and I’ll know everything he knows.”

“I can release myself,” the clone argued hotly. “No need for the violence.” Naruto shrugged, and Hanabi laughed, covering her mouth appropriately to do it.

“You won’t go far?” Hanabi asked, worry appearing on her young face. She shouldn’t be there. She should be at home with her bride.

“No way,” Naruto promised, ruffling her hair. Jiraiya had comforted him that way before. “Probably be back the day after.” Hanabi made a noise of complaint, pushing his hand off, and trying to fix her hair. A Hyuuga through and through. She seemed calmer now that she knew he’d be back soon.

Naruto watched the young alpha steel herself. “Okay,” she agreed. The clasped forearms to say goodbye. “Travel well, and return.” It felt like a prayer. Naruto found a smile for her. He departed quickly, and once he was out of sight of the camp, he ran. He turned his nose up into the air and went north like the two sages had advised him to.

He whiffed nothing at first, but then the wind turned, and he caught a canine scent that he could give chase. He let the woods be a blur around him. There might have been creatures- Zetsus- near him, or not. He didn’t stop long enough to find out. Naruto’s only purpose was to gain information and then return to Hanabi as soon as possible. Their scent cleared as soon as he was a ways from the camp, and luckily, the smell of canines was becoming denser with each mile he covered. His body ached and burned. It begged him for rest. Still, Naruto ran. 

It became darker and darker until the path of stars in the sky above was stark white, and the snow under him and trees surrounding him were black. Eventually, his muscles could do no more, and he collapsed. Fine. He would get up and run again when he awoke. He crawled until the ground under him was cold but not wet. As Naruto was dragged into sleep, he was half-aware of a soft animal whine and broad tongue licking curiously at his palm.

When he awoke, he was lying near a fire and a medium-sized white and red yurt. It looked reasonably permanent for a tent, covered in pale furs and waterproof skins and decorated with ornaments. It must still be easy enough to pick and leave with whenever needed or even wanted. All he’d have to do was fold up the skins and pick up his stakes.

Naruto sat himself up, groaning at his sore body. It was dawn, which was good. Naruto hadn’t wasted that much time then. A little white puppy had made a nest from his lap, and he held it gently there as he straightened.

He looked up, and a man was sitting across the fire from him, wearing a menacing red and white wolf-dog mask, painted in spiraling designs. Naruto assumed him to be his quarry. After all, an enormous white wolf-hound was sitting next to Naruto, eating what looked like some kind of charred fowl. The evidence was stacking up. He sniffed the air to be sure, and it matched the eye-patch well enough. Then he asked. “Are you Kakashi Hatake?”

“You’re acting mighty familiar for a trespasser,” the alpha drew out in a lazy voice before breaking into a yawn. “You crawled onto my camp last night half frozen, so I put you by the fire. Who are you?” Naruto could tell from his closer sniffing that this male was a prime alpha and had a good amount of years on him, though he wasn’t as old as Naruto’s sire. He had no omega that Naruto could scent near or on him. He really just lived out here with all his hounds, then?

“I’m Naruto…” Naruto hesitated, but then he had a feeling this person could be trusted. “Uzumaki Naruto.”

“So, you’re actually his child?” The alpha asked. He removed his wolf-dog mask. Underneath, he had another, made of dark red fabric, that covered his mouth and one of his eyes. His hair was silver, his skin was light-colored, and his eye that Naruto could see was dark and ringed with circles of sleeplessness.  
  
“You knew Minato?” Naruto asked, surprised. “You knew my mom?”

“He was our captain,” the stranger revealed. “At least until Kushina came along.” So this person knew Naruto’s heritage. He’d been right to admit his identity; this person would have known anyway. “He got stripped of the Senju name because of her, but they all knew him as Namikaze by then because of his singular fighting style.”

“Fuck. I lied to Sasuke,” Naruto realized. He was part Senju. Disgraced, though, so maybe that would give his mate a kick rather than piss him off. “How was he a Senju?”

“He was- Tsunade’s nephew if I remember. Great nephew? It’s impossible to know how old she is...” Naruto gasped. That explained why she’d gotten so emotional seeing him and decided to take care of him. She was really his great-aunt. Maybe great-great-aunt?

“I barely know anything about him. People won’t tell me, either,” Naruto lamented, resting his chin in his hands. He didn’t even know what else to ask. Many questions rushed around in his mind, but he sensed that this person was not a big talker. He had to stick to the most important things.

“It’s a rough deal losing your mom, isn’t it?” the woodsman sighed, stoking the fire.

“Yeah.”

“I lost my parents early, too,” he revealed. “When my mother died, the pain was so bad for my father that he… followed her.”

“Alphas feel such great pain when they lose an omega?” Naruto asked. He knew grief was natural. He knew it must hurt. He couldn’t imagine the anguish of losing Sasuke or Hinata, but would it be enough to kill him? “I didn’t know.” He didn’t want to think about living after either of them.

“I don’t know about anyone else.” The White-Fang met Naruto’s eyes with his one and swore: “We do.” 

“We?” Naruto saw no one. Smelled no one unless he meant the dogs.

“I say ‘we,’ but I’m the last.” The admittance was full of old grief. The alpha’s voice didn’t even crack from it anymore. Just quieted and lowered. “White-Fangs mate for life. And… only once.”

“I am the only heir too- or I was.” Naruto flushed, feeling ashamed to bring up what had once been a connection, but now would only make this person’s grief more pronounced, but he’d spoken up, so when the alpha’s eyebrow bunched up, Naruto explained. “We have babies on the way.”

The White-Fang surprised him by smiling. Well, Naruto was pretty sure he was smiling, but the mask made it hard to tell. “Congratulations. Don’t forget how lucky you are.” Naruto grinned back, but he was listening seriously. “But you didn’t come all the way out here just to talk about a shared loss, did you?”

“I was told to come to find you,” he answered. “If you are-?”

“Yes, I’m Kakashi Hatake, like a hound with a bone, aren’t you?” 

“You would know,” Naruto teased, sticking his tongue out. He should have just answered the question, so Naruto would know for sure who he was talking to before revealing what might be important tactical information about Tsunade and Jiraiya’s plans.

“I guess I would. Let me guess: Lord Jiraiya sent you.” Naruto nodded. “Then, what do you want?”

“Uhm-” Naruto began. “This may be a long-shot,” he certainly felt it that way. After all, what did this man have to do with the Uchiha other than existing on the outskirts of their community? “I was told to ask you about a missing Uchiha.” He added on: “One with powers.”

“You mean a witch.”

Naruto shrugged. “Well, yeah. But I think I’m trying not to call omega that.” It was such a harsh word.

“You’re naive. I’ll give you that,” the alpha sighed. Naruto scowled. And so what if he was? Maybe the previous generations were too jaded, not that they’d ever go as far as to admit that. “My relationship to that omega is the reason I was banished to the woods.”

“I didn’t know you were banished,” Naruto gasped, feeling even more for Kakashi.

“Well… I wasn’t forced to leave, but the way they spoke about him-” Kakashi frowned, or his one eye seemed to frown. “It decided itself for me.”

“My first is an Uchiha,” Naruto revealed, sensing that perhaps the omega and this alpha had been lovers. “Please, tell me your story.” The white dog had finished its meal and laid its massive head in Naruto’s lap, to sniff the pup for a second. Naruto hesitated only a moment before beginning to scratch its ears. After a moment, it rose, satisfied to leave its pup in Naruto’s care. He felt… weirdly honored.

Kakashi also seemed to approve, nodding at the larger hound as it left. It seemed to meet up with other dogs in the trees, and they loped off to… do dog things? “How’d you get a hold of someone like that?” Kakashi asked, refocusing on him. “There’s no way the Uchiha would approve-”

“I didn’t get approval.” Naruto explained shortly: “He saw my clan’s secrets. I made him part of the clan.” And at the time, Sasuke had had nearly no hope of fighting him. He still felt guilty about it, but he didn’t regret it. It had been the right decision.

“I see… maybe not so naive after all.” There was respect in Kakashi’s eyes then. He should understand that Naruto would do what needed to be done. “Then, my story, and the story of the witch, Obito Uchiha? It also has to do with your story as well.”

“Please.”

Kakashi nodded. “In a way, it’s all your sire’s fault.” Naruto groaned internally. He’d heard that before. “Minato was more than strong enough to fight on his own,” Kakashi began. “Younger omega who were unmated, but had promise, could be on his squad without worry about them being defiled or harmed. It was good training. Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara were on his squad when I joined.”

“But then you-?” Naruto asked, confused. Kakashi was clearly a prime alpha. Kakashi’s fingers showed claws, and Naruto was sure his teeth would be sharp as anything if he ever saw them.

“The wars between the clans orphaned me, and I showed fighting skill before presenting. They thought it was better to place me there.”

“They thought you’d be an omega?”

Kakashi nodded. “In White-Fang, like with hounds, the bitches are the vicious ones.” Naruto needed a minute to line up the terms, but it was still a bit surprising to hear about a clan that considered it’s omega the more powerful fighters. He’d seen real evidence of it, but politically most didn’t seem to agree. Who’s fault was that? Who had made those decisions? “When I was so skilled at combat at such a young age, they assumed I’d present as a bitch.”

“I see,” Naruto replied, though he was only gaining more questions.

“When I presented as a sire, after a few years, I was honorable enough that both Obito and Rin’s parents knew it was safe for us to fight together for a short while. But I could only mate one of them, and we’d have to leave the omega squad and make our own lives as adults once we did.” Naruto was curious about the White-Fang’s traditions. He simply would have taken both of the omega with him if he were attached, but it might be that Kakashi couldn’t, rather than didn’t want to. “They were both my closest friends, and I had no one.”

“So you put it off?”

“I wanted to. But then Rin and Obito’s heats began to strike more often because of a prime alpha’s presence.” That, Naruto knew about: They’d both been in love with him, or desired him greatly, to be experiencing the fever. That made it sadder that neither of them was here to live in this camp with Kakashi. It felt terrible to Naruto that this person was here all alone. “I chose the Uchiha since he showed signs of being a witch and had already been shamed by his clan for his differences. I thought I could take him away and protect him.”

“Rin agreed. She cared deeply about Obito and knew it was his best chance, though she told me she wished selfishly to have been chosen. He and I bonded. On the way to return Rin home for winter, we met Kushina. Minato had all these flee on sight orders, and he was the deadliest warrior I’d ever met.” Naruto knew his mother was strong, or Kushina wouldn’t have bothered, but hearing this really made him happy. Though, it made it all the more confusing why Minato wasn’t with them anymore. “When he met Kushina, it was like- his bond didn’t even matter to him.” 

Kakashi paused. “It wasn’t a love bond.” He qualified, shrugging. “Kushina helped us cross the land, and by the time we neared Rin’s home, they’d decided to run off together. I think Minato was already carrying you, and they couldn’t hide it much longer.”

“When Kushina took Minato, she went back to Leaf and killed his alpha, Chomei Akimichi, brutally.” Naruto grimaced. His sire was so reckless. “They… came looking for her, but in searching the woods found us, trying to make our life. We had stayed near their territory then, to draw on the Uzumaki clan’s support. After how she defeated them, they were keen to make an example about anything that flew in the face of the Leaf alliance rules. We were a witch and an alpha from the White-Fang bloodline, which had always been accused of witchery as well. It didn’t help that we were associated with Minato, who had betrayed the alliance.”

“So what did they do?” Naruto was desperate to know what had happened to Obito.

“They tried to kill us both in a landslide.” Naruto’s chest panged. “I was wounded and lost my eye from flying stones, but his entire left side was crushed. and he gave me his own, just before more rocks came and buried him.”

“But Tsunade wouldn’t have sent me here if she believed that…”

“Well. This eye-” Kakashi admitted. Naruto blinked at him, confused. Kakashi sighed and took down his fabric mask. His eye was Sharingan red and marked with a long, deep scar slashing down across it. Naruto bit on a gasp. “Sometimes, I still see flashes of his world.” The alpha touched his cheekbone, just under the eye. “But I can’t tell if they’re memories or not.” Kakashi’s jaw set itself with frustration and denial. “He was buried, and I wasn’t able to free him, but if he’d died, I think I’d have felt it more. I think I’d have to leave this world, too.” His body slumped, defeated. “I’ve been waiting here to see if he’d come back to the Uchiha.”

“And Rin?” Naruto asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Kakashi shrugged. “We’d luckily returned her already. She was interrogated but able to plead ignorance.” He pushed the fire again, his eyes moving away from Naruto’s. “I haven’t seen her since.” He was ashamed about avoiding Rin, but Naruto could understand why. He had been hunted, he’d been grieving, and from what Naruto could understand, he couldn’t have mated her anyway. Seeing each other would only have brought up the loss of Obito. 

Naruto cupped the puppy against his side and went around the fire to clasp the other alpha’s arm. Kakashi seemed surprised, but he gripped Naruto’s forearm with equal strength. After a moment, Naruto offered: “If you come with me, and he is involved with this, I’ll make sure you get a chance to talk to him about how you feel.” Kakashi’s mismatched eyes widened. “Maybe you can even be together?”

“You’re delusional, kid,” Kakashi laughed, but it was a hollow sound. “But… I suppose It’s better than just sitting here,” he seemed to think out loud. His hold on Naruto’s arm slowly loosened. He gestured at his Yurt. “Give me a day to pack this up and hide it, and let the dogs know.”

Kakashi gathered up the puppy from Naruto’s arms into his own and stood. “Yeah. I can help!” Naruto offered, hopping to his feet too. If he helped, this would go more quickly, and he could be back with Hanabi.

“No. Just head back,” Kakashi decided, waving his hand. “I need to do some things in secret, and this may be a small clan, but you’re still an outsider.”

Naruto shook his head. “It’s dangerous. I’ll wait here, please?” he didn’t know if Kakashi was prepared to fight any of those creatures, and he wouldn’t want his new compatriot to be caught off guard when it seemed like he had so many answers. Naruto needed to ask him more about Minato, too, and the journey would provide opportunities to do that.

“All right. We’ll travel together,” Kakashi relented. “Don’t move from here till I fetch you.” He whistled, and all his hounds followed him, trotting after him into the trees.

XXX

“Why aren’t you getting any better anymore?” Sakura asked him, rubbing his back rode out another wave of nausea. “When I left to bring Ino home, you seemed fine.”

“I don’t know,” he pressed out, his body quaking. His last reluctantly eaten meal was back out of him. It made him miserable. 

“I’m going to write to him,” Sakura decided. “Ask him to come back. Hanabi’s going to need to learn to stand on her own.” Sasuke shook his head. “Naruto should have got everyone in line to listen to her by now, right?” Sasuke wished it were true, but even with his limited understanding, he knew that it wasn’t.  
  
“What good will him coming back do?” Sasuke asked. “He’d only be able to watch me suffer.” Besides, that was if he was able to return at all. Could he summon Naruto to him, if it was the same as sentencing Hanabi to death?

He felt Sakura’s healing energies, but it only made him feel a tiny bit better. “I can’t tell what’s wrong with you. The diagnosis brings up nothing.” Sakura sighed. “If you’re lovesick, then he’s your medicine.” Sasuke scoffed, and Sakura did giggle a little. “Whatever works is the treatment, Even if you don’t know why.”

“Medicine is more superstitious of a practice than I knew,” Sasuke laughed, hating the hoarse, bile-ridden sound of his voice. If he was lovesick enough to die from it, wouldn’t that just be his luck? He knew he should have followed Naruto, stolen after him in the night if needed. Now, almost a moon cycle later, he was too weak to do it.

“You don’t know the half of it,” Sakura complained. “Lot’s of times believing you’ll get better is half the battle.” She paused, helping him up. “And if… just in case you aren’t going to get better, you should give him a chance to say goodbye.”

“Then… write him,” Sasuke finally relented, feeling more than pathetic. He also felt afraid and helpless. Without Sakura to heal him each day, he was sure he would be in even worse straits.

“Don’t worry,” Sakura promised. “He won’t think of it as a burden. I bet he’s been dying for a good enough reason to come back to get you.” Sasuke would be so pleased if that were true and recognizing it made him feel guilty. “Come here.” Sakura gathered him into her lap and soothed him by petting his hair.

When Sasuke slept, he dreamed about a den full of giant fox kits, all cuddled up to him and keeping him warm. No matter how he shifted, they cradled him. Soft huffs of warm air made told him that there was life pressed against him from all directions. When he woke up with only Hinata lying beside him, he shivered. He knew it wasn’t his fault- but there being so few members of the Uzumaki clan caused him sudden, unshakable grief. The lonelier he felt, the more his sickness seemed to fade, until he fell again into a clammy, restless sleep.

He waited for days for Naruto’s letter. He’d decided the best thing would be for Naruto to summon Sasuke to his side. If his alpha was waiting for him, he was sure he could muster up the strength to make the trip. He could feel his health improving, just a bit, if he thought about it. It was the belief like Sakura had explained. And yet, Sakura’s face when she finally approached with a paper in her hand was grim. It was a letter she held, but it wasn’t Naruto’s hand. “It was returned,” Sakura admitted, putting the letter back into her drawer. “No one’s delivering anything there.”

“Oh,” Sasuke replied. Hopelessness opened like a chasm under him. His dream had entirely convinced him that Naruto’s return would heal him. “What should I do?” Was his fate truly sealed? Had he failed, just a bit more than halfway through? Each day, the child was more active, more lively. Its spark was vital- so why wasn’t Sasuke’s?

“I don’t know,” Sakura admitted. “I’m going to say nothing. Lay down and stay down.”

“Okay.”

“Precious first, eat something,” Hinata encouraged, kneeling beside him and trying to ply him with roots boiled until soft and herbs, meant to settle his stomach. Bland nourishment and nausea medication in one. Usually, it would have been mildly appetizing. He enjoyed the flavor of warm sage. But he had no desire to eat it at that time. The thought of trying made Sasuke hurt.

“I can’t.” Hinata still tried to push something else into his hand. A cloth sachet of dried red tomato. A rarity. Se must have worked hard to get them or been saving them for him. He pushed it back at her, partly crushing the treats in the process. He really couldn’t imagine eating. “I can’t.”

“Sasuke,” Hinata lamented softly. “You like this.” After trying once more, she gave up. She folded her sleeves around him, and the warmth and weighted feeling of silk layers were soothing.

“Drink,” Sakura ordered him, pressing a cup to his mouth.

He turned away from it. “What does it do?” He asked. Sasuke knew Sakura had remedies to remove a child. She’d done it to ease Hinata’s process. He knew Sakura wanted desperately for him to live… but giving up at this point was impossible to him. The child was viable. It was Sasuke who was falling apart. He couldn’t be that selfish. Forget explaining it to Naruto- Sasuke knew it would carve a wound into him he might not recover from.

“It’ll knock you out,” Sakura admitted with a sigh. “That’s all.”

He relaxed. He took a sniff of it to see if his body would accept it. It didn’t offend him physically, but the smell of it threw him back into the memories he had of Orochimaru. This medicine must share components with the incense. “No,” he complained, twisting away again. “That smells like-” he began. “I don’t want it.” Sakura stroked his cheek, but her expression was set. She wouldn’t give up so easily. “Don't make me,” he pleaded.

“Sasuke,” she told him firmly. “You need to rest. You’re too easily agitated. This will help you.” It was, to state the obvious, fucking nasty. Sasuke choked as he tried to swallow it, and his mouth was unhappy until he lost consciousness.

He slept. Hours later, his eyes opened in the dimness, and Naruto’s blond head was there on the pillow before him, but Sasuke couldn’t move. He couldn’t speak. He summoned all his strength to push his paralyzed arm out away from his chest- to touch the alpha’s back, his sleeping shoulder. The distance seemed to grow, and with Sasuke’s arm fully stretched out, there was still an ocean of bedding between them. 

He blacked out, trying to sit up, the pressure in his head dropping like water from an unstopped bath. He heard Naruto’s voice- but couldn’t make out any words. When he came to again, it took recognizing the complete absence of Naruto’s scent on the pillows he pulled towards him to realize that he had been dreaming, hallucinating his partner. In reality, he’d been alone.

“I don’t want it anymore,” Sasuke hissed after two weeks of drinking that concoction and sleeping through each day. He couldn’t take anymore. It gave him sickly fever dreams. While his body felt better when he was awake, his dreams danced with visions of things he couldn’t have. It was only making him making him feel more desperate. It wasn’t like his mind to beg for something he couldn’t get. It was frustrating and… heartbreaking. Sasuke couldn’t deny that at least part of his ailment was love-sickness like Sakura had said.

The other side was the damage done to him by his family and Orochimaru. Those dreams alternated with the one’s about Naruto and filled Sasuke with suffocating dread. He would wake up gasping and then be dragged by the medicine right back into those fitful dreams. Even as he realized they were dreams in those moments, it didn’t do anything about the unease he felt. “But you stabilize when you’re sleeping,” Sakura explained.

“I hate it,” he complained. 

“I know,” the healer apologized genuinely. “I keep writing to him. But for now, I think this is the only way you can make it through.” Sasuke relented and drank the medicine. “That’s good.” Her fingers stroked over his hair, and delirious sleep overwhelmed him again.

The next time he awoke, it was to a fall of crimson hair, brushing against him as the alpha knelt beside him. “How are you, Uchiha?” Kushina asked, grabbing him by the collar and sitting him up. Sasuke hissed, the light from the open door burning his eyes and her touch searing his skin.

“Fuck off!” He snapped hoarsely. His lightning slipped. She was much too close- suddenly touching him.

“Witch!” She snarled, and her voice rattled his skull. He whimpered but cut it off quickly. Fuck her. Fuck showing weakness to her. “I hadn’t done anything,” she complained, shaking him once.

“Not yet,” Sasuke pressed out, bile rising in his throat as she let him back down too quickly. “Demon.”

“You’re lucky you’re pregnant. Watch your mouth,” Kushina growled, her claws still sharp at his throat. “I can still hurt you without damaging you permanently.”

“Naruto would believe me," Sasuke snapped.

"And what the fuck is he going to do?” Kushina demanded lowly.“He can’t unbreak your bones for you, can he?”

“He can break yours,” Sasuke spat. “And so can I-” He struck out at her body and felt her satisfyingly jerk back after a quiet snap. She shouted in pain, and Sasuke smirked. A rib was pretty low-ranking as far as breaking bones went. But it would hurt badly and was a hard bone to heal.

“Fuck!” Up he was wrenched, and his head lolled from her fists until he had the strength to focus his gaze and hate her. “You want to fight, do you? I’ll be glad to give you a taste of suffering-” He was focusing his fire, but it was taking longer. Strange, when his lightning came so quickly. Was it what Itachi had said: this fire was not his natural ability? Was he too weak to master it in his state? He felt panic. He wasn’t ready to let the reliable protection of his brother’s flames go. He hadn’t mastered his lightning yet. Still, he let it arc from his skin. The air filled with more blinding lights as he pushed as much chakra as the beast allowed into his lightning.

She snarled but didn’t immediately act, and Sasuke wondered how long he had before she crushed his limp throat between her hands. Just then, a deep, smooth voice cut through the noise of the conflict. "Kushina.” His brother’s intonations came from somewhere behind her floating halo of red hair. They both fell silent, and Kushina smoothed quickly, her hair laying itself back down, but her clawed grip on his shoulders remained inescapable.

“Yes, my dear treasure?” She asked, her voice sweet as she turned to face him.

“Put Sasuke down-” Itachi sighed. “Gently,” he specified. He knelt beside them and collected Sasuke from her. Sasuke curled gratefully into his elder brother’s lap.

“I came here to check on him, and look how he’s acting,” she snapped.

“You should know better than to handle him like that,” Itachi smirked, checking Sasuke’s temperature with gentle hands. “He’s not some low-class omega. Maybe if you showed him some respect, he wouldn’t feel the need to defend himself immediately.”

“No sympathy at all?” Kushina demanded. Sasuke could hear her sitting down nearby.

Itachi smiled indulgently at Sasuke, patting his cheek. “None.” The younger omega purred, feeling shameless satisfaction at Kushina’s soft whine of annoyance and rejection.

“His lightning was weak,” she told his brother. Sasuke turned enough to hiss, and she scowled at him. “You’re doing poorly,” she announced, making his weakness known. He hated her. “It’s not normal to weaken this late in the process.”

“You think I know?” Only after that slips from him did he realize it wasn’t a question. Then, did she know then what was wrong with him?

“Shh,” Itachi soothed, pulling Sasuke back over his lap. Time had not removed Sasuke enough from being a child that his brother’s scent didn’t make him relaxed. And he was pregnant enough that it quickly made him sleepy. “Rest, now,” his brother’s low voice urged. “I’m here. She can’t hurt you.”

Sasuke believed and slept.

When he woke up, somebody had tucked a red robe around him. Itachi and Kushina’s mixed scents rose from it. He wrinkled his nose at the former, but the latter made him sigh in contentedness and curl deeper into a ball. Sleep had felt good, with Itachi comforting him. He hadn’t even needed the medicine.

He drowsed more, enjoying the glowing lights of the morning. Eventually, he felt restless, but it was so foreign that he didn’t immediately act on it. Only when his body cramped in hunger and asked for a straightforward course of action did he get up. 

Sasuke went into the cottage's small dining room and found some leftovers hanging over a dying fire. Hinata was sleeping beside the hearth, clutching a small blade in her hands. Sasuke wondered why… until he realized she must have been here when Kushina came to visit. Had she waited there, trusting in Itachi to protect Sasuke, but not her, and fallen asleep nervous and shivering?

“Hinata, dear,” he murmured, gently waking her up. She made a cute face in her sleep as he kissed her forehead. She opened her eyes, and her expression was full of relief. She hugged him where he knelt, nuzzling his shoulder. “I’m all right,” he promised, squeezing her lightly back. Their bellies touched, and Sasuke investigated Hinata’s small bump. She allowed it, smiling serenely. That was his child too. Luckily it didn’t seem to want to bring anyone grief. It was merely growing in its quiet little way. He wanted to ask more, but he was starving. His mind held one thought. “I’m going to eat.”

“What would you like?” Hinata asked, perking. “I’ll make anything you like.”

“I’ll just have this,” Sasuke replied, gesturing at the small pot. It was cold. But he’d fix the fire, and soon it would be warm enough to eat.

“Oh no, it’s been out all night,” Hinata cried, shaking her head. “You’ve been unwell. Please.”

He sighed and rested near the hearth to let her cook for him. He summoned up a bit of chakra to start the fire and watched her bustle around for ingredients. “Do you still have those tomatoes?” Sasuke asked guiltily.

“Oh yes,” Hinata cheered, clapping her hands. She dug in her pocket. “Here it is.” She kissed his cheek as she tucked them into his hands and stole a couple of them before hustling over to the pots and pans. “Eat them while I cook you something fresh.” 

“Noodle soup,” he realized as he received the bowl. He smiled as much as he could. “It’s good.” And he didn’t have to lie about that. Her cooking was delicious. She’d even used some meat. Apparently, she’d industriously preserved what Naruto had left her.

“Yummy, right?” She watched him eat, and when he finished, served him again. “Eat more.”

“Only this.” He pointed at his refilled bowl. “You’re trying to get me fat.”

“If I can,” Hinata sighed wistfully, touching her cheek. “I know Naruto agrees with me.” She took a bowl for herself and ate as well. Sasuke realized she’d been waiting for him to eat the lion’s share before taking what he left.

After finishing feeding him, Hinata retreated to the sleeping room to finally lie down. He would join her soon, he thought.

“Oh, Sasuke,” Sakura greeted, coming across him as he was making himself tea. He already had eaten something, and he wanted to sit by the window, but it was chilly, so he thought a nice cup of tea should accompany him there for warmth. “Looking well today.”

That made him pause. “I am?” he asked. He felt tired, still. He couldn’t remember the last time he hadn’t felt exhausted.

“Compared to before,” Sakura qualified. “You’re walking around-” She gestured at the remains of his meal. “You ate.”

“Right,” he realized, looking at the tea in his hands. It had been a while since he’d been able to get up and use the hearth.

“What did you do?” She asked.

Sasuke shrugged. “Nothing.”

“Hmm. I wonder. If we can figure out what was different about yesterday, we can probably make good headway on fixing you.”

“I saw my brother and-” he paused. 

“And Kushina, right?” Could it have been her? “Her and Naruto have healing powers.”

“When I was bad before…” he thought out loud, sine Sakura was his healer, and he had nothing to hide from her. “Naruto’s chakra? But not always- Only when-” maybe he did. Their contract wasn’t entirely his secret to tell.

“So it's the energy of the Kyuubi Kitsune.”

Sasuke was surprised. As far as he knew, the younger generation wasn’t supposed to know about that. Certainly not a civilian like Sakura. “He told you?”

“Not really. Lucky for you, I’m brilliant.” Sasuke raised his brows. “And the Lady Tsunade’s words slip when she’s been drinking. As do Lady Kushina’s, for that matter.” She smiled at him. “I get plenty of secrets in exchange for hangover remedies.”

“Hn,” a smirk slipped onto his face, despite how grim he felt.

“That’s a laugh,” Sakura giggled, catching him. “Now, I wonder.” She seemed to think. Sasuke already knew what she would say, but he didn’t want to hear it. “Maybe you need to get close to her more often?”

“And how do you suggest I do that?” he scowled.

“She’s right over there, isn’t she? Maybe you should move into the house with me, see if that helps right things?” Sakura kept her rooms and most of her plants over there, where she had more space and more supplies. She’d also been keeping track of Itachi’s progress. Kushina’s servants kept the path clear so she could walk it, knowing that forced to choose, Sakura would hole up with Hinata and Sasuke all winter.

He supposed the red-haired alpha wasn’t as evil as she could be. She’d done little to make things easier for him but also hadn’t recently tried to make it worse. He had to consider it.

The next day he crossed the property, and at random, chose a room. He didn’t bring anything or tell Hinata. He didn’t want to panic her. If it didn’t work, Sasuke would return to the cottage with her soon.

He pushed open a storage closet and was pleased to find an older but nice plush mattress. Nearby were blankets. He wouldn’t have to go looking, and he could spend the night in relative secret and collect his information. He’d just begun to convince himself of that when the door opened too quickly. He flinched as the wooden frames made loud contact. “What are you doing here?” Kushina asked. She wasn’t angry, but she did expect answers. Sasuke had known his scent in her house might bring her. He paused in, dragging a mattress out from a storage closet, and turned to face her. 

“Nothing,” he panted, his head spinning from exerting himself. He knelt and then tipped to one side, falling onto his thigh. He was showing weakness, but this other option was simply collapsing. “It’s warmer here, and I’m sick,” he answered when he could. “I want to be near Sakura’s room.” He lifted his eyes to hers and challenged her. “Am I not allowed?”

“Suit yourself,” she replied, shaking her head. “But I don’t dote on omega the way Naruto does, so your needs are between you and the beta.” Even though she said that she dragged the mattress out of the rest of the way and flattened it out. She didn’t touch the blankets, leaving him to make his bed.

Sasuke felt a wave of relief. Kushina wanted him and his baby to survive. He’d stayed long enough for her to be a little invested, at least. She wouldn't hurt him. Her handling from the day before was loving compared to how she’d moved when she’d been trying to take him from Naruto- she’d probably just been trying to see if he had the strength to fight. The omega had to fight back smirk. Kushina would not do anything that risked the life of Naruto’s heir. Sasuke could work with a dynamic like this. “Understood.”

All he had to do then was figure out how to get at her chakra and how close he had to be for it to work.

The next time he crossed paths with her was a few days later, around dinner time. Sakura had agreed to accompany him to the kitchens, and they needed to pass through the dining room to get there. Kushina and Itachi were there eating, and when she saw him, she looked him up and down and asked: “How are you?” She waved her hand in his direction.“You’re upright, anyway. Do you want to eat?”

“None of your business,” Sasuke hissed.

“Witch,” she growled warningly.

“Sasuke...” Itachi sighed, setting his utensils down and giving Sasuke an impatient look. “I’m trying to enjoy dinner.”

“What’s the point in explaining my condition to a forest animal-” Sasuke snapped. “She’ll only insult me anyway-”

Kushina’s expression darkened. Sasuke inhaled a breath. “If I were a forest animal, you’d be lucky to get away from me insulted,” she threatened, carefully setting down her utensils as well. Kushina was controlling herself. That was no good. Sasuke had to push her a bit further.

“Like you already don’t bite and fuck anything in your path?” Sasuke knew he was beyond himself. He didn’t care.

“That’s enough, Sasuke,” Itachi reminded him, his voice full of authority. Sasuke wanted to obey. He admired his brother greatly. But in this case, he simply had more pressing worries. He regretted what he would say next already, but he had other tactics to try if insulting Kushina wasn’t working.

“You can go fuck yourself too,” Sasuke snapped right back. “You breeding with her doesn’t make her any more respectable.” Kushina stood and was suddenly a tower of fierce energy in the room. Sasuke could sense Sakura quivering behind him.

“Unnecessary,” his brother complained, scowling. He looked away, and Sasuke knew that Itachi had dissociated himself from this interaction.

“Brat-” Apparently insulting Itachi had been what snapped her temper. Sasuke stilled as her fist twisted up his collar, piercing through the delicate fabric of his clothes and his skin. She radiated energy and rage. “Silence yourself,” she ordered, her silver eyes flashing red. She dragged him over to the table and sat him down on Itachi’s other side, pushing down on the top of his head with collapsing force until he knelt. “Eat.” Then she returned to her spot beside Itachi and put the chopsticks back in his elder brother’s hand.

Sakura hurried to kneel beside him, clearly unwilling to leave Sasuke, but also unwilling to be standing in this room and thus draw attention to herself. Sasuke agreed that he’d taken it quite far enough. So he ate, ignoring everyone’s silent but glaring displeasure with him. When he finished, he left everything behind and simply strode from the room.

Sakura hurriedly followed him. “Holy shit, Sasuke, what was that?” she demanded as soon as they were out of earshot.

“Chakra,” he replied. Simply.

“You’re insane!” Sakura hissed, yanking him back across the property to their small wing. She plucked Sasuke’s half shredded robe. “Look at your clothes.” Pulling on the fabric revealed the weals rising upon his shoulder. “She scratched you!”

“But that heals easily enough,” he dismissed. The beast's chakra would heal it by morning. “Cover it for me?” 

“Oh, Sasuke,” Sakura seemed to lament, putting salve on the scratches. She didn’t bandage them, so it was probably better to leave them to the air. Sasuke let his shoulder be exposed as he dressed in new clothes. He’d known what he was doing, so he’d been careful to wear something simple and probably cheaper. Nothing Naruto would miss.

“I feel much better,” he decided, washing his face and hands in a small bowl of well water. His symptoms had undoubtedly reduced. His body and mind still screamed exhaustion, but at least it didn’t hurt as much. At least the food he’d eaten seemed quite settled in his stomach.

“This isn’t sustainable,” Sakura pressed, determined to make him second guess this very functional strategy.

“It’ll have to be,” he replied, shaking his head. “I can bear the pain.” He checked the marks. They had already faded to the pale color of his skin, dotted with little dark scabs. By morning there would be no trace.

“Stress can bring on early labor,” the healer reminded. “It’s too soon for your child to survive if it’s born, even if you can heal.”

“Then I’ll stay calm.” Although, that was easier said than done. This conversation with Sakura was frustrating enough. Before the healer could contradict him, he told her. “It is- that simple. It has to be.”

“If you’re serious about this, you need to tell Hinata,” Sakura told him. Sasuke sighed. On that, Sakura was right. “Otherwise, she’ll just be alone in that house. You owe it to her.” She had a sharp expression, and he realized Sakura thought he would shy from that interaction and change his mind.

She was wrong. “You’re right,” Sasuke agreed, standing up. He dressed himself to cross the courtyard. Hopefully, she’d agree to come over, but if not, he’d instruct Sakura to forget about him and just make sure Hinata was fine. He’d handle his health himself. It wasn’t a traditional sickness anyway. “I’ll go now.”

“Sasuke,” Sakura argued, desperately. He turned to look at her, but she just stared at him, her mouth open. She couldn’t speak.

“I’m doing this,” Sasuke repeated, as decisively as he could, without raising his voice at her.

Sakura threw her hands up. “Fine.”

He hurried across the grounds. The snow was sweeping across the divide in thick drifts, and the ocean churned with a foreboding grey, black, and white. He entered. “Hinata,” he greeted. She smiled to see him standing up, but fell when he spoke and told her: “Come over.”

“Why?” She asked quietly. “Is this not good enough?”

“It’s not that at all,” he swore. He knelt in front of Hinata. “I need her chakra to have this baby.” Hinata’s eyes widened in understanding. “I don’t want to be alone, or you to be here alone,” he admitted, squeezing her hands gently. “Besides, If we’re honest, it’s a lot easier there.” Naruto had fixed the house well, and it was clean and warm, but in Kushina’s home, there were cooks, fireplaces, and just generally a comforting distance between oneself and winter.

“Kushina won’t hurt us?” Hinata asked softly, biting her lip.

Sasuke was truthful. “She won’t hurt me, and I’ll protect you with my body if I have to.”

Hinata seemed to think. “I don’t want you to be alone either.” She nodded, squeezing his hands back. “… I’ll come.”

“Thank you.” He was relieved. More than relieved. He hadn’t realized how worried he’d been she’d say no. Hinata had to worry about herself and her child, and he wasn’t sure what he’d do in her position. “I feel so selfish. I haven’t asked enough at all.”

“We are perfect.” Hinata smiled serenely. She winked at him. “The easiest pregnancy I’ve had so far.”

“That isn’t saying much-” He deadpanned. Hinata giggled, waving her hand in dismissal.

“No,” she laughed. “But it’s still good news.” She pulled Sasuke to kneel closer to her side. “Here, come spend a moment with her.”

“I wish I could do more-” He’d been remiss as far as being a father to his child, he knew. Sasuke hoped he would have done a better job of it if he weren’t so ill, but there was no way to know.

“Look,” the other omega told him, placing his hand against her. He could feel slight movements. Hers was younger than his, and it made sense that it was a few steps behind Sasuke, who was feeling a lot of activity lately.

“Sakura said mine will come in spring,” He told her. “So yours will be born in the summertime?”

Hinata’s expression was full of distaste. “When it’s so hot?” She frowned.

“Better than it being cold,” Sasuke replied. Spring or fall was probably the best time to do it. But it was too late to adjust anything. Their bodies would make the rest of the decisions about those things.

Sasuke helped Hinata pack up whatever items she couldn’t do without.

Soon they were both tucked into the room Sasuke had commandeered. Chilled and exhausted, they both curled up under the covers to warm up. Kushina didn’t bother them. She must have understood Hinata’s purpose there quickly enough and decided to leave it.

After a day or two, Hinata didn’t cling to his side and freely went about her business. Well enough, because Sasuke had another fight to pick by then.

Sakura didn’t like it, but Sasuke’s condition stopped degenerating so precipitously, and he was pleased enough with that. True to his prediction, when he pissed her off far enough to make her grab him, Kushina only mildly scratched him before seeming to come to her senses and setting him down, and those small injuries seemed more incidental than anything. Each morning he saw that the thin lines had already faded into nothingness, and Sasuke had begun to associate the quick scratching sensation with the relief from his symptoms that usually came soon after contact with Kushina.

Even so, he wasn’t getting much better- and in fact, the amount of relief he got from it was lessening. He didn’t say anything to Sakura, but as usual, he didn’t have to. 

One morning she told him: “I’ve been watching you for a week now. It’s only slowing it down,” Sakura admitted. “What if you asked her directly- to give you chakra or let you have contact in her other form.” She paused. “Maybe you could snake seal.”

“You mean, hold hands?” He asked, disgusted.

“It’s best for passage of energy between two willing parties-” Sakura explained, throwing her hands up in frustration.

“Well, neither of us is a willing party!” Sasuke shouted. Sakura flinched from his voice. He’d yelled at her. He lowered his eyes from hers. He didn’t mean it, he was sensitive, and his emotions seemed to spill out of him like water from a tipped pot. “… We’ve had to engage enough.” He bit out.

“Not dying right away isn’t enough,” Sakura whispered. “If you don’t improve soon...” She shook her head. Sasuke averted his eyes from her. Her voice was nearly harsh when she added. “For the sake of both of you, I hope you’ll consider it.”

“Impossible,” Sasuke told her, throwing his arms over his eyes. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto meets Obito.  
> Kushina finally gets her hands on the boy.  
> Itachi is perfect, as always.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sure you already know, but just in case you took a wrong turn somewhere:
> 
> TW: heavier noncon/dubcon, age-differences, power-imbalances, incest, all that nasty shit, generally unsettling imagery, reproductive terror, I'm a freak(but I don't endorse in real life unless it's RP)?
> 
> 50% plot + 50% filth
> 
> I've been excited about this chapter for a hot minute. Hope you degenerates enjoy it.

“Are you ready?” Naruto asked, brushing aside the flap that closed Kakashi’s tent. The alpha was inside, strapping on his weapon’s pouch and putting on his mask. Kakashi had worn thick red trousers in preparation for their mission, an equally thick gray woolen tunic, and a black cloak lined with pale fur. He covered his face with his white and red wolf-dog mask. Furred boots stood by the entrance, waiting. Not wanting to be rude, Naruto leaned back out of the tent to wait. In a few moments, Kakashi came out. He’d relocated near the Leaf’s war camp, but he hadn’t accepted the invitation to enter. It was clear Kakashi didn’t trust them. This was no surprise. After all, he and his omega had been hunted by them at some point. Being close to the Uchiha couldn’t be pleasant either.

Five large dogs gathered near the camp, yipping softly and pressing close to Naruto to greet him. He was happy to be remembered. One of them butted Hanabi with her head, and the young female alpha looked at Naruto nervously, her hands hovering over the canine’s friendly floppy ears. Naruto nodded encouragingly, but Hanabi still hesitated.

“Don’t worry,” Kakashi reassured her, he guided her hand onto the female hound’s white scruff, and Hanabi smiled and started petting her, instantly enamored with the fluffy and affectionate animal. “She’s big, but she thinks she’s still a lap-puppy. Her name’s San because she’s the third dog I raised, and I wasn’t that creative as a kid.” He whistled, and even the dogs crowding Naruto stood at attention, lining up before their leader.

They would be coming along as well. Naruto wondered how the puppy he’d watched was doing, but obviously, Kakashi had left it with the rest of the pack up north. “We should move, and do a more thorough investigation,” Naruto told Kakashi, waving his hand at his companions so Kakashi would introduce himself to Hanabi and Jiraiya. “The Hyuuga forces have elected to come with us and defend us from the Zetsus while we do.”

“I’m coming as well,” the towering prime alpha announced. Jiraiya bowed to Kakashi. “Thank you for the information and for lending your strength to our efforts.”

“You?” Kakashi gasped. “Lord Ogata-” he spoke quietly, clearly surprised an alpha of such rank was thanking him. “I’ve read your writings and admire you greatly, my Lord.” Naruto’s nose wrinkled up. It was a half and half chance whether he meant Jiraya’s musings on his studies of the mystic toads or his pornography.

“Hey now, we’re going on a mission together,” Jiraiya laughed, shaking his head. “No need for such formality.” He clasped Kakashi’s forearm and shook it once. Kakashi didn’t know what to do with so much contact because he went a little still with surprise.

“You can just call him pervy-sage like I do,” Naruto added, grinning cheekily at his mentor. Kakashi laughed a little, and it made him relax, which was what Naruto had wanted.

“Cut it out,” Jiraiya growled, letting go of Kakashi’s arm to pinch Naruto’s ear. “Your generation lacks respect.” Naruto yanked free of the elder alpha’s grip, wincing. The sage nodded at Kakashi. “Jiraiya’s fine.”

“We haven’t met, I’m Hyuuga Hanabi,” Naruto’s charge introduced herself, bowing politely to a more senior alpha.

“Sorry for my rudeness. I’m used to being alone,” the canine alpha admitted to all of them, shaking his head. He bowed deeply to everyone there. “I’m Hatake Kakashi.” He didn’t give his clan name. After all, White-Fang was a dead clan.

Naruto saw the Hyuuga guardian move to introduce himself, but if he did, all of Hanabi’s soldiers would. Naruto shook his head and cut in. “Less talk, more walk. I got a war to win.” He had brides to get home to, children to see born, chakra to save, whatever. He was a fighter, and it was time to fight, or at least do recon. He also didn’t really want to hear those smug Hyuuga bastards spend any time talking, other than his dear little sister Hanabi, of course.

“He’s right, let’s move,” Jiraiya agreed. Naruto made a rude face at Hanabi’s handler, enjoying his shocked expression. He felt childish, but not being the oldest person also made it feel okay, and nothing beat watching that old fogey’s face scrunch up with annoyance. He couldn’t say anything to Naruto either unless he wanted to look like a whiny little bitch in front of everyone.

They went, Naruto leading them through the forest that had become pretty familiar to him over the last two months at camp. Naruto had needed Sasuke to find the puppet the first time. Its scent was so unearthly that he didn't know what to make of it or how to follow it. This time though, he could track it precisely because of how different it was and how much it didn’t seem to belong in their world. The rest of the alphas followed him. He couldn’t see the membrane Sasuke described, but he thought they all felt it when they passed through.

Everyone’s steps became quieter, and those who could use Byakugan activated their sight. Even the dogs’ panting softened, and they began to creep much more carefully and clustered closer to Kakashi to protect him. Without exchanging words, they’d all sensed the impending danger and shifted their stances accordingly, so their weapons were near.

“New blood,” Naruto murmured to their group, lowering his voice in case the person who had spilled it was still nearby. 

“I agree,” Kakashi agreed, his wolf-dog mask turning up into the air. “How many were there last time you came, and how many now?” The question was directed at Naruto, but he wasn’t sure he could answer. So many scents mixed all became a blur, mostly when he hadn’t known any of them before, and their blood was spilled all together.

“I don’t know. Old blood just smells like blood,” he admitted. He didn’t flinch when he saw the puppet, but some of the others did. With most of its eyes open, it did seem more threatening. Bodies were littered near it, but counting them was difficult because they’d been dismembered.

“There were six before,” Jiraiya answered for him.

“How do you know?” Naruto asked. Was his sense of smell better than Naruto’s? Impossible. Toads were not known for smelling.

“The drawing your omega did,” Jiraiya replied, tapping his head to imply he had it in his memory. Naruto’s visual memory wasn’t that great, but the smells and the limbs he saw scattered didn’t argue with that number, at least. “There should be one open for each person sacrificed.”

“Then there are two fresh ones,” Kakashi replied, whiffing the air softly from under his mask. Kakashi was actually someone Naruto would believe about scents. “The rest is older. Bringing us to eight.”

“What’s taking them so long?” Naruto asked, a bad feeling creeping upon him. He knew there was a reason he didn’t like that number. Were the sacrifices different from other people in some way? Or was there a reason they were spaced out the way they were? There was something he didn’t know, and it was making him uncomfortable.

“What?” Jiraiya asked, frowning at him. “Do you want more people to be killed?”

“Well, if they just need to sacrifice someone- plenty of people in the camp,” Naruto explained. “Why not just throw all ten on? What’s special about them? We need to know that.” It would probably help them understand how to defeat their enemies if they knew.

“Excellent question!” Someone replied from right behind the group. “You’re not as dumb as you look.” Naruto growled, shocked, and the dogs fell in with him, pacing as they looked for the intruder. There had been no scent. No sense of presence either. This person had even slipped past Kurama, who would normally speak up at a time like this if nothing else tipped Naruto off. The beast had been quiet for a while, though, which definitely did nothing to calm Naruto down. “There’s only nine, actually,” the voice told them haughtily. “The last two open at once.”

“Fuck!” Naruto shouted, feeling a rod pierce through his shoulder, carving through skin, muscle, and bone like it was all bean paste or something. Or maybe it didn’t… because he didn’t feel it pushing on him, and he didn’t feel the usual explosion of an exit wound. It just went through him like he had no substance at all. He touched it carefully, fearful of losing his fingers as well. It was a staff made of strange black metal. That circular rattles at the end were fiery, gleaming brass. He’d felt the puppet drawing on his chakra since he’d entered its field, but this was like cutting open an artery. He felt his body swoon in shock.

“Hello~” A person appeared less than a foot away from him, gripping the metal rod Naruto’s shoulder. The drain doubled. Several people attacked, but all their thrown knives and blades all phased through without seeming to make any contact. “Thank you for your gift. I’ll make good use of it.” His chakra wasn’t just leaking. It was being stolen.

“Who the fuck are you?” Naruto hissed, pain radiating through his body. He hadn’t known pain like this often. It was hard to think. Where was his chakra going? Kyuubi gave him more, pouring it into him so he wouldn’t die or go into shock. He could feel it burning through his coils, sharpening his claws and teeth as it went.

“Obito-” Kakashi breathed. He was the only one not holding a weapon. “You’re actually involved with this?”

“You are?” the person asked, unaffected. “I’m Tobi-”

“You know who I am,” Kakashi growled, his anger powerful enough to shift the atmosphere and cause even Jiraiya to break into a low growl of aggression. “I don’t buy that for a second. You are Obito Uchiha.”

“You’re no fucking fun. You know that?” Obito sighed, jumping into the tree above them and crossing his legs. Finally, his scent appeared. He smelled alien, and then he smelled like an omega, and then faintly, like an alpha, but the alpha part of him also smelled out of place? Naruto rubbed his nose. Was he losing it, or were the scents here all mixed up?

“Show your face,” Kakashi demanded.

“You first,” their adversary laughed. Kakashi ripped the mask from his face and sent it shattering to pieces on the ground, his strength uncontrolled. He pulled the fabric down too, and Naruto saw him for the first time. So did the Hyuuga, gasping when they recognized the distinctive features of a White-Fang. Kakashi was- and Naruto felt a bit strange for noticing this about another alpha- gorgeous. Even twisted by anguish, there was an unmistakable handsomeness to his features, though… he was a bit prettier than most alphas were. 

“It really is you, Kakashi,” the omega replied, seeming suddenly serious. His jauntily tapping foot had stilled, and his scent vanished again. So did he. When he reappeared, it was to rip the staff from Naruto’s body and let him crumple to the ground.

“Obito-” Kakashi shouted. The assailant didn’t remove his mask. “Explain this to me.”

“I don’t have to,” their attacker replied, the grin back to his voice.

“I want to know how you’re alive!” Kakashi pleaded, rushing and trying to grab hold of Obito. His scent vanished, and Kakashi’s hands passed through him. The alpha didn’t seem as shocked as the rest of them about that, but he did seem upset when Obito didn’t let him touch. “You’re my-”

“I’m not an omega anymore.” Kakashi visibly shuddered, his body stiffening as the one who had been his mate passed through him. “And I’m definitely nothing to you.” Was he dead? How was he doing that? “I was freed from that by our savior.”

“What are you talking about?” Kakashi gasped, holding his chest. Obito hadn’t just passed through Kakashi. He’d done something. “I don’t understand.” Or maybe the grief was just that powerful. Naruto couldn’t imagine the feeling and didn’t want to try.

“I’m sorry.” Obito paused, his voice revealing remorse. But then he seemed to cool. “You’re part of the old world. I don’t have any room for you in my heart,” he announced, shrugging lightly, his voice and posture detached.

Jiraiya threw the incense at Obito’s feet. 

“Didn’t you hear what I said?” Obito replied, dodging so his clothes wouldn’t get burnt. But an omega should be collapsing. The same substance had made Sasuke collapse, and he wasn’t exactly delicate. “This won’t stop me,” he caught the incense holder on the smooth black surface of his boot and flung it back at them, showering them in sparks. “And shame on you!” True, it was low to use this incense on an omega, but what choice had they had? They’d known little about their opponent, other than that they would be an Uchiha omega of great strength.

“Fuck. We have to retreat!” Jiraiya murmured, taking a step back.

Obito lightly twirled his staff in his hands.

“You need to explain yourself,” Kakashi demanded lowly, approaching with his sword finally drawn. “I don’t care what you did. I just need to know why you never revealed yourself.”

“You’re so tiresome,” Obito sighed. He dodged another attack from Jiraiya. “So are you, Lord Ogata. You’re making it too risky to get what I want.” He looked at Naruto, or Naruto thought he did. It was hard to tell through the spiral mask he wore, which only exposed one red eye. “I’ll come back for you later, handsome.” The eye winked.

“Me?” Naruto asked, baffled. “No, forget that! What are you doing with my chakra, anyway?”

“Oh!” Obito smacked himself on the forehead of his mask. “Right, thanks for the reminder.” He thrust the staff in the air, and the puppet shifted, bringing its heaving mass forward, and down to the earth and opening its enormous mouth. Score after score of twisted human copies poured out. 

“Shit.” Naruto wanted to kill himself. He really could have just been quiet.

“Don’t ignore me.” Kakashi swung his blade, and once again, Obito’s scent vanished, letting the metal slide through him cleanly, not damaging him one bit.

“Are you going to stop me?” Obito laughed, gripping Kakashi’s wrist and twisting it behind his back. This omega was… brutally strong. He was covered from head to toe in black, and an armored red skirt obscured his legs, but Naruto could see his arms were more packed with muscle even than Sasuke’s. He also had the advantage of height, and compared to him, Kakashi, a prime alpha, looked like a slight thing.

“Kakashi-” Naruto shouted, forcing himself to his feet. Hanabi shoved her shoulder under his arm, and it gave him the moment he needed to get steady. Zetsus kept crawling out of the puppet's mouth, sticky and covered in sweet-smelling fluid. It was like suddenly being in mid-spring, where every living thing was being born or mating. It mixed with the smell of blood and decaying bodies. Naruto’s head swam from it, and Kakashi recoiled too. It only took each Zetsu a minute to pull free of the membranes that coated them and begin stumbling, their wet, white flesh still steaming, towards their suddenly painfully small company. There must have been a hundred of them already, and the staff had only pierced Naruto for a moment.

“Leave him,” Jiraiya ordered, his voice still low. “We’re surrounded.”

“I can’t!” Naruto whispered back. He’d been the one to bring Kakashi into this. He had to try and help. Naruto pushed his sister. She should go with Jiraiya. “Hanabi, go!”

“Sir!” Hanabi replied, shaking her head. “If you don’t leave, I can’t either!” Naruto was impressed with her loyalty, but it might just get her killed. Naruto watched the alpha’s body flip in the air. Kakashi had managed to undo the twist in his arm using his agility and get free, and now the two were chasing each other through the trees, fighting with staff and sword. Sparks showered from each contact, reflecting off the snow in blinding flashes.

The dogs ran after, choosing Kakashi without a second thought. Naruto realized he needed to do the same or give up on catching them. “Fuck. Come on.” Naruto began chasing them, and he heard Hanabi’s footsteps flocking after his.

It didn’t matter how fast he and Hanabi ran. Kakashi blurred into beams of white as he flew across distances, and Obito seemed to phase in and out of space at will. If they really had been mates, they were well matched for their completely inhuman feats of speed and motion. Also, their precision. Naruto had to stop short as a tree began to slide from its trunk, a perfectly sliced cross-section revealing itself. Ahead of him, more did the same. Naruto had been cautious of Obito before, but now he was anxious. “We lost him,” Naruto admitted. Hanabi stopped by his side, panting heavily. She stumbled on a root, and he grabbed her elbow to keep her up. “We should go back now.”

Naruto kept Hanabi close at his side as they ran, fleeing the Zetsus. They found Jiraiya, leaning over a body, and as Naruto approached, he saw it was not one of their men. It was a large, darker-skinned man with white hair in braids. His back was a mess of fleshy pulp, and torn tentacles littered the field around him. “I know him,” Jiraiya mourned softly. “He was a prime like few others. A good friend.”

“Who is he?” Hanabi asked softly, clutching Naruto’s side. He held her back, stifling her soft trembles with his own body. He looked in her face. She wasn’t afraid enough to be shaking like this. The shivers were physical. But she’d only fought a Zetsu or two and sustained little damage. Naruto remembered Sasuke’s illness and worriedly observed Hanabi’s smaller body. Would she be okay?

“He’s the vessel of the eight-tailed beast,” Jiraiya revealed. He looked over the assembled soldiers, seeming to count their losses as little enough. Some of them were injured, and all of them looked exhausted. Running here was not like running normally. Naruto felt like shit for leaving Kakashi, but waiting would only mean more casualties, and Kakashi had abandoned the group. They couldn't be responsible for him. “Let's get back quickly.”

Just then, one of the younger Hyuuga alphas collapsed, untouched, to the ground. “Shit. It looks like it's draining enough to start dropping the lesser soldiers,” Naruto swore as another alpha seemed to weaken and fall to his knees, his eyes becoming glazed and empty. Naruto fended off a couple of Zetsus as he barked orders at the remaining Hyuuga, who seemed to be in a daze. “If you can still move, pick up your comrades, and let’s move out fast as you can!” He snatched his younger sister’s wrist and pulled her out of the way of an attack just in the nick of time. “Can you walk, Hanabi?”

“I feel fragile,” she admitted, focusing on him.

“Climb on my back.” She hesitated, looking at her alphas. Yes, it would be a sign of weakness. No, they shouldn’t care about this anymore. “Come on, Hanabi,” Naruto growled. “That’s an order.” Maybe he’d gone a bit overboard because her eyes went wide and girlish, and her wrist softened in his hand. It was easy to pull her over his shoulders, though, so he’d apologize later if he had to.

“Yes, sir,” she agreed, letting out a low submissive peep. Hyuuga generally didn’t allow themselves to make noise based on their rank, considering it below themselves, but she was young and in distress. Besides, he was sure the Hyuuga were all more out of it than her. She was holding up surprisingly well, showing she had more chakra than anyone who’d lost consciousness. She deserved the role of the next clan head. It was just too soon for her to be here.

Naruto wrapped her arms around his neck and ran. He let her soft whimpers and her tightly gripping fist in the fabric at his collar assure him that she was still conscious. But he still worried. If only primes could stand in the presence of that thing for any length of time, they were in even more danger than he’d thought before. He only had a handful of fighters to use, and one of them was tearing through the woods after their opponent, with no backup and no plan.

Naruto ran. He felt like he spent a lot of time running lately. Soon the camp was back in view. Plenty of alphas here, and all well versed on dispatching Zetsus. They sounded the alarm to the put forces an alert, then took the injured to the medical tent.

“Hanabi!” Moegi cried softly, coming and taking her alpha’s weight off Naruto’s back. Hanabi roused herself enough to soothe her mate, and Naruto could relax when he saw Hanabi murmuring that she was okay. “Thank you. I’ll take her to medical,” Moegi informed him, keeping her voice low not to harm Hanabi’s ears.

“Naruto. I have bad news,” Tsunade told him, waving him over after he’d escorted them all inside.

“I’m the last one, right?” Naruto asked, mostly just to confirm what he’d already begun to realize was the case. Kurama had always claimed to be the most powerful of the tailed beasts. So if one through eight were lying on a pile, then the last one must be him. However, Naruto realized he was one of four vessels. Kurama had never indicated that the other tailed beasts had clans, and he had certainly never heard of such a thing. He decided to ask, “But isn’t my seal different from theirs?”

“It is,” Tsunade frowned at him. “It’s true, we have no idea if he can take the entire beast through your seal, but you better be careful just in case.” Naruto nodded. He hadn’t planned on being any more reckless than usual, especially once he’d begun to understand the importance of not letting Obito get hands-on Kurama. “Even if it doesn’t awaken the puppet, you could really die if your seal was broken, and even if you survived, you’d have no experience fighting that way.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Naruto reminded her. So maybe he’d die. There were three other vessels. There were also plenty of other non-prime alphas who the puppet could cause to collapse quickly. They couldn’t heal the way Naruto could. He had to take the risk upon himself. “Worry about everyone else.”

“I’m worried about you because I worry about everyone else,” Tsunade reminded him, patting his cheek. “Besides, you’re important to me.”

Naruto didn’t really know what to make of that. He checked his shoulder for the wound from before so he could show her, and she waited, watching him curiously, but there wasn’t even a hole in his clothes. The attack had only affected his energies, which Kurama was quickly refilling for him. He excused himself, running to the edge of camp to help shore up defenses.

The young alpha helped fight the hundreds of Zetsus, which was thankfully easy enough. There was only a danger to him when they came by surprise. He remembered that it wasn’t the case for everyone, so he made sure to take down as many of them as possible. He made waves of clones but hid Kurama’s chakra. Taking a break in a lull of attackers, he caught Ino’s scent and watched her, her father, and Jiraiya entering strategy across the camp. Things were under control at the border, and he took a step to follow them but paused when he heard a desperate howl. 

It must be one of Kakashi’s dogs. He rushed towards the sound instead. After all, Jiraiya had seen everything Naruto had seen and probably understood more. He wasn’t needed. But Kakashi seemed to have no one, and Naruto thought a person like that wouldn’t come to medical even if he needed to.

“Thank goodness,” Naruto breathed to himself, catching Kakashi’s scent in the air. He ran across the camp to Kakashi’s smaller attachment to find him there, being half dragged through the snow by one of his dogs, a male with a bright pink tongue. Naruto couldn’t tell if Kakashi had lost or won the fight until he smelled the lack of omega blood. He’d lost then... or at least, he hadn’t won.

“What happened?” Naruto asked, taking Kakashi into his arms and dragging him the rest of the way inside. He held the flap open so some of the dogs could enter, and they cushioned Kakashi with their bodies, beginning to tend to his wounds. It didn’t seem like the alpha was together enough to answer, so Naruto decided to leave him for a while. Naruto got snow and started a fire, then melted the water. He ripped one of Kakashi’s clothes and began to wash his wounds, pushing the dogs away lightly. They meant well, and their tongues would have been better than nothing, but they were not better than clean water and bandages. The dogs seemed to understand this and didn’t give Naruto trouble. Instead, they nudged and comforted Kakashi to the best of their ability. Several of them loped off, and Naruto could tell by their soft communication noises that they were hunting. Good. There would be a meal soon.

The White-Fang had lots of injuries—an oozing bite on his throat, deep red scratch marks. His wrist seemed tender and swollen, and he winced when Naruto moved it. Nothing fatal, though. It looked mostly like Kakashi was tired, like exerting himself near the puppet for so long was mostly what had felled him. Naruto could also smell that- Kakashi had been... they’d...

They’d been mates years ago, but Naruto couldn’t tell by Kakashi’s state if he’d agreed to be used that way or not. Kakashi’s eyes seemed to clear up after a while. “You need to reconsider your strategy completely,” the alpha told him, his voice cracking slightly as he tried to sit up. Naruto pushed him back onto his dog’s side and pushed a small cup of water into his hands. Kakashi choked it down gratefully before adding. “Moreover, I can’t help you.”

“No way. We were totally counting on you,” Naruto refused. “Especially after that fight. You’re the only one fast enough to keep up with him, don’t tell me you didn’t realize that.”

Of course, he’d noticed that. “You’re Namikaze’s son. You could learn,” Kakashi deflected, looking away in shame. “He taught me.” Naruto knew he was conflicted, and he even understood why. Fighting one’s own mate, especially a mate he’d thought was dead for years, had to be painful. But Naruto needed him.

“Maybe. But I don’t have time,” Naruto admitted. “And who would teach me if you didn’t?”

“I’m sorry, Naruto,” Kakashi breathed. When he moved, his breath hitched, and his body seemed to resist him like he was aching. “I don’t want to know anything about your plans going forward.”

“... He didn’t understand how you feel?”

“My feelings- they don’t make a difference-” Naruto watched Kakashi slump over. “Compared to his goals, our bond is a small thing.” He met Naruto’s eyes, and Naruto could tell he was thinking tactically, as much as he could. “It was true when he said he wasn’t an omega any longer. You can expect him to act like one. He’s not bound by his heats anymore either, so we can’t rely on his time for a window to seal the puppet.”

“How do you know about his heats?” Naruto asked. Should it be Obito’s time, currently? If so, Naruto hadn’t scented it one bit.

“He told me,” Kakashi answered. He seemed to realize all at once that his face was exposed, touching his mouth and nose self-consciously. But he’d left his mask out in the field. Naruto was willing to bet he had another one in his tent somewhere, but he wasn’t about to go rooting around in Kakashi’s personal things for it. Besides, Naruto wouldn’t use his face against him. “He also told me the method he used to survive without me so long.”

“How,” Naruto asked, carefully. Had his omega betrayed him? It wouldn’t entirely be a surprise, but he was still careful when he suggested: “Another alpha?”

But what Kakashi said was much more unusual. “Dark medicines. I unknowingly left my eye with him, what was left of it,” Kakashi revealed. “Somehow, he healed it into his body.” 

“Just like you did with his Sharingan,” Naruto gasped, touching his own cheek, feeling a strange mirrored pang in the back of his eye. He wondered if it had affected their growth, and that was why Obito seemed bulkier than he should be and why Kakashi, by all rights, seemed a bit slimmer and quicker than the average alpha. Or maybe they had both always been unusual for their sexes. He really felt for Kakashi. Their stories were not so different that seeing this didn’t make him feel worried about Sasuke. He wanted badly to go home.

“It replaces the need for an alpha,” Kakashi continued. “Heat sickness cannot affect him the way it does the usual omega.”

“I don’t want to kill him. I just want that thing gone,” Naruto decided. They could find a way to defeat Obito without ending his life. If they didn’t, they could forget about Kakashi’s help, clearly. “Please fight with us, you’re one of our strongest, and that thing is so powerful now that the weaker soldiers we bring near it are just dropping.” One of the younger Hyuuga soldiers had never recovered from his collapse, and even Tsunade was not confident he’d live. Kakashi had spent hours there, and he seemed messed up, but definitely not unconscious. Naruto needed him. “Please.”

“All right,” Kakashi relented, exhaling slowly, deeply. “But you can’t rely on me. I can't actually harm him.”

“I know,” Naruto sighed. But he was relieved that he could still use Kakashi for nonlethal plans. His speed and his ability to withstand the puppet made him useful enough. “I can barely spar with my own mate, so I understand completely.”

“Hah-” Kakashi laughed, but it was basically just a release of breath. He didn’t smile, and the sound was hollow, hopeless.

“Did you… enjoy it?” Naruto asked softly, needing to know. If Obito had forced Kakashi- then Naruto wasn’t sure what he’d do, but it needed to be something he considered. He’d probably try harder to keep them apart, if that were the case, to prevent Kakashi from being compromised.

“What?” Kakashi’s eyes went wide and nervous, and his palm covered his face from the nose down. Naruto could guess what kind of expressions were going across his face.

“The time... with him?” Naruto asked as delicately as he was able. “... your scents are very entwined now,” he admitted. “You’re carrying him on you.” Inside would have been more accurate, but Naruto wasn’t going to say that.

“… Yes,” Kakashi replied finally, still meeting Naruto’s eyes with that stricken look. Then his gaze flitted away. “I would be there now if I could.” Naruto nodded. He was pretty sure that was good news. It gave Kakashi strong motivation to separate Obito from the puppet, which Naruto felt was a good plan. Obito probably wasn’t working alone. After all, he’d mentioned a savior, but he was clearly crucial to everything. If Naruto could imprison him somewhere, he thought it would really slow the enemy down. He just had to find a plausible way to do it, and he knew Kakashi would follow him. The White-Fang continued, nervously. “If your scenting is so precise, then I’m sure you’ve realized I’m a lowly aberrant-”

“Hey,” Naruto replied, touching Kakashi’s shoulder. “I won’t tell if that’s how you feel about it, but it's fine.” He had no leg to stand on, anyway. “It’s nothing to hate yourself over.” He’d had a desperate dream just a few nights before about Sasuke pinning him down, his red eyes spinning lazily as he made Naruto submit to him.

“What do you know about it?” Kakashi barked, clearly hurt.

“Everything,” Naruto replied, making clear and direct eye contact.

Kakashi’s eyes widened. “Oh,” he breathed. “I never imagined.”

“Mm,” Naruto answered, shortly. He wasn’t hiding it, but he still felt the pinch of breaking a taboo or being something society considered unusual. It wasn’t easy to be open, but Kakashi needed to understand that he had nothing to fear from Naruto.

“You’re so-” Kakashi seemed to search Naruto, but where on him would it show? It didn’t show itself anywhere on Kiba either. 

“It’s bullshit,” Naruto replied, making his voice sure. Kakashi nodded, still numb with surprise. Naruto repeated the important part. “I just needed to know if you’re hurt.”

“I’ll be fine,” Kakashi sighed, absently rubbing his shoulder near the bite mark. He sighed heavily, his eyes closing. “Could I rest before we talk any more?”

Naruto nodded. He exited, and Hanabi was waiting for him. She was making herself useful by helping the dogs butcher the meat they’d hunted, a small, thin deer that had woken up at just the wrong time to forage and fill up its stomach for the rest of winter. Naruto watched her use a knife to sever the more sinewy parts, while the dogs used their jaws to pull apart the animal’s limbs. She’d gotten up quickly, and that was a huge relief, and she was smart to seek him here. Still: “Hanabi, I’m a little annoyed that you’re sick and left camp alone.”

She smiled sheepishly at him, lifting one of the deer's legs and hefting onto the sticks over the fire, somehow keeping herself and her felted cream-colored coat relatively clean the whole time. “Sorry, sir, but I was worried about Kakashi, as I’m sure you were too. I thought he wouldn’t come into the camp, and I was also sure that when I met you here, you’d take me back.” She washed her hands and the knife in the snow before stowing it back in her belt and sitting down on a nearby log to watch the meat cook.

“You were right,” Naruto admitted. “Still, I’m responsible, so don’t make me give Hinata more bad news.” Hanabi nodded obediently. The dogs dragged the meat not fit for human consumption into the forest and began eating. He paused. “How’s that alpha in medical?”

“Hisui, and he’s not dead,” Hanabi replied softly, staring at the fire. “Lady said too much of his life force had been taken, enough that he couldn’t recover.” Naruto sighed heavily. “He breathes, but he won’t wake up.” She stoked the fire. “Others are also in this condition.” She looked at Naruto. “Kakashi?”

“He’s bad, maybe even a liability,” Naruto admitted, lowering his voice to a new whisper, and sitting down beside her. He looked off into the trees, feeling jealous of the dogs and their rich feast of organ meat. At least he could probably eat some of the legs once it was cooked. “But I think our next move is to try and capture-”

His nose perked, and Naruto broke into a low growl before he could stop himself. These were the last scents he wanted to catch. Hanabi’s eyes activated, and using a small nod, she agreed with him about the approachers’ location and identity. Uchihas. “And what do you want?” Naruto asked, his growl going deep. He moved slightly before Hanabi, in case one of them attacked.

“We finally managed to track you to the thief’s den.” Beside him, Hanabi let out a soft, guilty intonation. They must have followed her here. After all, Naruto was beyond, for the most part, human tracking. He’d learned as a young boy how to move in ways indistinguishable from an animal, and if they’d been following him in real-time, he would have noticed them and been able to lead them astray. He didn’t blame Hanabi. She hadn’t known and had no reason to believe that the Uchiha would come here and antagonize their own ally. “We want our eye.”

“You gotta be fucking kidding me,” Naruto complained. Couldn’t this wait?

“We are not,” Fugaku hissed. Of course, he was the leader of their little troupe, always a thorn in Naruto’s side. “The Hyuuga spoke of the Sharingan that the White-Fang carries. It belongs to us.” Naruto swore silently. He knew that Hanabi’s keeper couldn’t be trusted. What a snitch.

“You discarded the owner of those eyes when he was just a kid. He would have died without Minato.” Kakashi drawled, stepping out of his tent. He was masked from the nose down, and it hid all the emotions he’d just been experiencing, but it didn’t disguise the spinning red eye. “When we ran to you for safety after Kushina’s actions, you didn’t accept us.” His scent told Naruto that the Uchihas were already on thin ice with him. Kakashi would turn feral soon if forced into a fight. “You must have known he’d be in danger.” Naruto couldn’t fault him for this, after the day the prime alpha had had, but for the sake of their alliance and saving themselves, things couldn't break down this way.

“Why should we have accepted you?” The elder Uchiha let out a derisive, croaking laugh. The other Uchiha had the gall to look amused. “I could tell you were an aberrant the first time I saw you. All your children would have been witches or freaks like you.” Kakashi flinched. “Instead, we let nature take its course.” Naruto knew they were both close to snapping. “We assumed the eyes were destroyed. Now we find that they aren’t, and come to rectify it.”

“This is why Obito is doing what he’s doing, you know?” Kakashi growled. “Not only the crimes of the Leaf alliance.”

“Silence,” Fugaku hissed.

“It’s because of you as well,” Kakashi accused softly, too softly. There was more danger to the quietness than yelling. “Because of your policy of murdering witches, either right away, or by mating them to alphas and waiting for degeneration to take its course while sending them to the front lines to destroy themselves for you.” Naruto’s eyes widened as the dots began to connect. “People who kill allies are scum, but people who kill clan, are lower than scum.”

“You were the first to betray an alliance,” an Uchiha hissed. “And we only purged those witches at the behest of the Senju, and at great cost-” 

“Obito told me that edict ended when Tsunade Senju came to power.” They flinched, caught in a lie, and perhaps also furious about the change. Naruto was relieved to know Tsunade hadn’t supported the practice. “But you’re still doing it, aren’t you? Of course, the Senju wouldn’t stop you, how could they after agreeing not to interfere, and why prevent you from killing your own fighters when that gives them such an advantage? Imagine if your omega had the benefit of experience, live full lives. Maybe your backwater clan would actually have some power.”

“Then Itachi’s illness-” Naruto breathed. “And Sasuke being promised to Orochimaru. But why?”

“You fools are so naive. We fought hard for legitimacy. Omegas need to learn their place,” the older Uchiha spat. “We won’t have our superiority threatened by breeders with egos, just running wild.” Naruto scowled. He didn’t- he couldn’t even find the words for how backward that all was. “How laughable, to let omega think they can hold tools of power. Mark me. The Senju will decline, especially that Tsunade whore has been-”

Naruto twitched, fixing the elder with a look so burningly hateful that he hesitated. He felt his claws slide out, cutting the tips of his fingers as they rapidly grew long and sharp. He knew his chakra, and his eyes were changing. He hoped they were afraid.

“You need to leave here,” Kakashi growled. “I really will kill you if you say one more thing.”

“Same here, honestly,” Naruto decided, his own vision beginning to bleed red. Sure the Uchiha men were alphas, but they were not prime, and they were definitely not demon vessels. It would not be a fair fight if Naruto and Kakashi attacked, so hopefully, the Uchiha would back down instead of causing an incident.

“I’ll have no choice but to support the Uzumaki, who are our allied clan,” Hanabi added, loudly and evenly enough that Naruto was proud of her.

“Hmpf,” the elder Uchiha snapped. Fugaku seemed to weigh the decision. Naruto bared his teeth, showing Fugaku exactly what he’d have to deal with if he really wanted Kakashi’s eye. The dogs paced and barked agitatedly, adding their own menace with threatening, bloody maws.

Kakashi began to step forward, but Naruto gestured for him to hold. “You don’t even know the worst of what that clan has done,” Kakashi growled, still furious, but heeding Naruto’s thrown out arm, just barely.

“I could say the same for the Senju,” an unfamiliar Uchiha hissed angrily. Naruto snarled, making it clear they needed to leave immediately. He wouldn’t kill them, but he wasn’t above threats or even a bit of violence. They could each handle a broken bone or two, right? 

Fugaku seemed to realize the direction of his thoughts and took a step back. “Never mind. We’re leaving.”

“Didn’t they start everything because of a conflict between Madara and Hashirama?” Hanabi asked curiously when the three alphas were alone again. “I’m sorry, I feel as though I’ve heard so much that I shouldn’t.”

“I don’t know much more than you about that,” Kakashi admitted. “These things are before my time. I just know what happened in my lifetime. Both the Uchiha and Senju are responsible for what happened to Obito.”

“I have to go speak to the Lady Tsunade.” Naruto decided. Hopefully, she would give him clarity on it, and not just more lies. He could understand why she’d hid it. It was so horrible… But nothing was going to get better unless they all faced some kind of truth, assuming it existed. Before he got too worried, he shook his head and pointed at Kakashi. “Don’t do anything stupid, all right?” 

“Right.” Kakashi sounded deeply tired. “I’ll wait here until the next time you need me to cut something down.”

Naruto nodded. “And get some rest.” He jerked his head, and Hanabi fell into step beside him.

XXX

“What do you want?” Kushina asked, nearly as soon as he pushed open the sliding door. Sasuke had sworn he’d never come here and bow like this. Yet, there he was, planning to do just that.

“I don’t want anything from you, beast,” the omega hissed, frustrated. “I need-” he began to admit and then cut himself off. How could he possibly ask her? How could he possibly admit his weakness to Kushina Uzumaki? The very thought made his throat catch. But the feeling of the child in his womb… or rather, the lack of feeling forced him. All the energetic movement had started to fall away. The sluggish shifting once in a while made Sasuke shake with worry. Real terror forced him to come here and fall to his knees in front of her. “Please-”

“As rude as you were?” Kushina asked, stalking over to him. She was tall, even taller when he was kneeling. He felt when her steps brought her close enough that her fiery aura enveloped him. There was an immediate relief, but no motion. It really was her that had pulled him here, and he would have to go through with it. “Come then. I’ll still fuck you,” she decided, taking hold of Sasuke’s face pulling him to his feet. “It’s not as though I haven’t wanted to.”

“Not that-” Sasuke denied quickly, standing but turning his cheek away from her touch. Panic raced through him at her mere touch. The thought of- he couldn’t think of it. It was terrifying.

“Indecisive thing,” she huffed. “Then what is it?” Sasuke hesitated. He didn’t know how to explain. Losing patience, she grabbed the sides of his robe and spread them open, her eyes searching the violently pulsating seal. The characters moved and twisted and undoubtedly spoke of his terrible state, but he couldn’t read it. He only felt them burning him as they moved. “I see.” She placed the back of her hand against the seal. Could it be she was worried about him? Warmth spread from the touch, and Sasuke exhaled in relief. She smiled, all her teeth flashing bright in the half-light. “And what will you give me?”

“A grandchild?” Sasuke scoffed. “Your chakra called out to me. I think I need your help, or this one will end up like Hinata’s and… probably me too.” Wasn’t it obvious why this was in all their interests? “Unless you don’t want Naruto to have an heir anymore. Hinata is a loss for the next year, at least.” It was cruel to say but true, and he needed Kushina to do what he wanted. “She might never, so you can’t afford my death.”

“The stones on you, witch,” Kushina growled, her brow ticking with annoyance. “Even if you’re right.” His heart flipped in instinctual fear, but more than that, he feared she would push him away, and even the minimal relief of her aura would be taken from him. Sasuke whined, tipping his head to the side. Usually, he’d want to fight her… but not this time. If he couldn’t have her chakra, one or both of them might die that very day. 

“Oh, he submits,” the alpha crooned, stroking his neck with her thumb, her claw skating over his bond-mark. Sasuke shivered, nervousness combining with his clammy sickness. He felt he needed to be near her, but allowing it was one of the most hair raising things he’d ever done. Being still in her presence meant resisting every natural twitch in his body that wanted to attack her. “All right, I accept. Come here.”

She tucked him against her side and led him over to some cushions, stroking his hair lightly the whole while. She probably considered her touch light, anyway. To Sasuke, her hand felt heavy and sharp. She sat and made him lay across her lap. The omega took deep breaths of her alpha scent and let the heat of her energy soak into him. Slowly the tremors in his body worked out, and he was able to rest properly, curled against her thighs like that. He became drowsy and snuggled into the alpha’s lap to become more comfortable and await his child’s revived movements.

He slept until he heard a familiar cadence of steps and tried to see who it was. He felt better, but he still wasn’t well. His body healed overnight, he remembered. He’d have to spend the night here before he was fully righted? Through half-lidded eyes, he saw the hem of long dark robes. “Sasuke-” His brother’s voice. The elder omega knelt and pushed his hair back to inspect him. “How good it is to see you without your usual vitriol,” Itachi greeted with a small smile. “But, I thought the point of this arrangement was for us not to need to share.”

“We’re not,” Sasuke argued. “I just-” Kushina pressed her fingers over his mouth, and Sasuke’s voice died. Her hand shifted down across the opened front of his robe, touching his chest and his belly. He moved her hand to his hip, but she slipped away from him, and her next touch slid up the back of his thigh. The touch solidified on his hip as he’d wanted, but against his bare skin instead of through cotton. He shivered. Her hand seemed to radiate heat into his womb and settle him. His skin had stopped pulsing, and he hoped, burning itself with new characters as well. The nausea was quickly waning, as well. So he allowed it, curling further into her lap.

“Be kind, my precious. He's feeling unwell,” she told Itachi. “That alpha of his left him to go fight, but Sasuke needs a true vessel to resonate with, especially at this stage.” Was that his problem? He’d known he needed the warmth of the beast’s chakra to soothe him. He longingly remembered the bliss of being wrapped in Naruto’s tails. “A mother’s seal is only an auxiliary one. Without the main counterpart, it falls into chaos.”

“I see,” Itachi understood. He stroked Sasuke’s cheek and pressed their foreheads together to check his temperature. Itachi made a soft, worried sound. Sasuke knew he was either feverish or clammy, but his body had been in turmoil so long he couldn’t have told them which. His fingertips had been numb the past few hours, and laying on Kushina had almost brought the feeling back. He mostly just knew he felt wrong. So terribly wrong, dying maybe even. In the past few days, he’d often been so weak he couldn’t even move. And he hadn’t been able to burden Hinata because he felt guilty enough about not providing anything for her. “Poor thing,” his brother soothed. Sasuke shivered as her claw dipped into his belly button. “But my alpha, you are letting your hands wander. Do you think Sasuke planned to resonate with you so personally?”

“He’s going to put up with it,” Kushina growled softly, amusement rumbling in her tone. “He doesn’t know what he needs, but for himself and the baby, he’ll allow it.”

No. He didn’t like how that sounded. He tried to sit up. But Kushina’s hands tightened on him. Her claws dug in, just on the verge of breaking the skin. “Mmnh,” he whimpered, his dizziness returning in a rush as his heartbeat kicked up. He sank back against her; apparently, he only felt better if he stayed relatively still. “Stop-”

“Shh,” Kushina soothed, covering his eyes. It was easier to breathe in the darkness under her palm. Sasuke swallowed and tried to slow his heart. He felt near being sick, but the outcome of that could only be bad for him. He let out a feverish breath, feeling his lids start to get hotter.

“His chakra is all flowing the wrong way,” Itachi sighed. “You need to educate that boy. I won’t have him leaving my brother like this again.”

“He told me he doesn’t need my help,” Kushina complained. “Said he’s a grown alpha.” Then she scoffed. “Let him learn from experience.” That wasn’t quite it. Naruto had left because Hinata had begged him to protect Hanabi. If Naruto had been too panicked about that to listen to Kushina, who had no doubt been as frustrating as always, Sasuke understood. But it didn’t do anything for his situation.

“That would be fine if it weren’t my sibling,” Itachi argued quietly. “And my niece or nephew.” Itachi paused. “Could it be that you hoped for this outcome?” Sasuke’s brother’s voice was amused, but there was a sharp edge under it. Itachi was Sasuke’s one hope here. “Did you risk his health for a power-play?” Sasuke reached out and found his brother’s sleeve by touch, curling his fingers into the fabric and holding tight. He begged the universe to keep his brother near for his protection.

“You saw, ‘Tachi. I warned the boy, and he brushed me and left off before I could finish,” she soothed. Leave it to Itachi to make even an alpha like Kushina retreat. “But I knew the little omega’s instincts would be strong enough to bring him here.” Kushina’s fingers dipped low over his navel. “And I knew telling him would make him do something undesirable, like run to the battlefield, so I waited. As expected, he’s pushed it just to the edge of his life.” 

The touch alarmed him, but he knew he had little hope of getting away unless she allowed it, and he only half-heartedly wanted to separate. Weighing the absolutely critical activity of absorbing her energy by proximity against the liberties she was taking was… hard. “Don’t,” he pleaded. 

“It’s fine, little one,” Kushina soothed, dragging her claws across his navel. Sasuke mewled. She exerted such pressure on the world, as though she could make it okay by insisting it was. Her sharpened touch nicked all the sore lines of the contract, and he mewled softly. “I know,” she promised. “You don’t have to fight.” Her soft rumbling in his ears was so gentle. “Just rest.” Unlike most alpha’s, her orders did not feel optional when she pressed her chakra onto him like that. Maybe if he had been well, he could have resisted. But he wasn’t.

“So you will fix him,” Itachi asked her.

“Unless you think I should leave him?” Kushina laughed. “Are you such a selfish omega that you really cannot share with your sibling? I thought you were more mature.”

“I borrowed his alpha once, didn’t I?” Itachi pushed Kushina’s hand from Sasuke’s eyes, letting him see. The young omega’s eyes met his elder brother’s spinning red ones. He stroked Sasuke’s cheek with his thumb. “I think I’ll let you get away with this, little brother,” he decided, his inspection of Sasuke’s chakra etching the worry lines that had partly faded since being here back into his face. “I also think it's best if we don’t rely on half measures.” He pulled Sasuke upright into Kushina’s lap, and the alpha made him straddle her.

Wait. “But I’m not-” Sasuke protested weakly. “I don’t want to-” Kushina’s fingers slid between his folds, and he shuddered. Like when Naruto had first gotten him, he was afraid of those claws inside him. Kushina didn’t give him the benefit of being clumsy, though. When she pricked him, it felt intentional. “Oh-” he gasped, then bit his lip as more hitching moans wanted to slip out. It was a sweet, piercing sensation. He dared not move.

“You’ll feel much better,” the alpha promised, scraping her fangs over his throat, on the opposite side of his alpha’s mark. “You need this.” He feared what could happen if she bit him- surely she knew better? Then her intent was just his shuddering terror?

“I don’t-” Sasuke protested, grabbing at her wrist but feeling so weak and unsure compared to her that he knew it didn’t matter what he did. He’d put himself at her mercy, knowing it could be his rescue or it could be a terrible mistake. It still changed from moment to moment, which he felt it was. Since she’d started touching him, her chakra had seemed to double, and he couldn’t bring himself to hate that part. “I can’t-” he choked, feeling her other hand grip his cock and squeeze. “I-”

“Don’t be childish, Sasuke,” Itachi scolded him, kneeling in front of them and helping his alpha undress by undoing her sash and pushing it off her shoulders. Her hands left Sasuke’s embarrassingly soaking wet slit and member as she shrugged the garment off, and Sasuke’s body begged shamelessly for their return. His mind was in turmoil. It felt- it felt like he desperately needed it, and when her bare skin pressed against his back, he couldn’t suppress a needy mewling. Unlike Naruto, who only poured out chakra when he was a fox or directly drawing on the beast, demonic energy burst out of even her human skin, soothing his illness immediately. It was like she was always invisibly cloaked in it. He thought he knew what the receding of his sickness in the face of her touch meant. He wanted to deny it.

“I can see with my eyes that if you don’t align soon, you’ll be at mortal risk,” Itachi told him. The omega shook his head. This wasn’t- this couldn’t be- “You can’t serve Naruto as his omega if you die or become barren as a result of your illness,” Itachi reminded him, cupping Sasuke’s cheeks between his palms and forcing the younger omega to look at him. “Let my alpha help you. You came here for help, didn’t you?” He had- he had come for help, but he had suspected and suspected it would involve some wandering hands but not-

Kushina’s fingers returned to him, pushing their way in and twisting wickedly. Sasuke slumped against his brother’s shoulder, and the elder omega’s palms came carefully to support him. “I-” he sobbed. “Itachi,” he breathed desperately, feeling the alpha’s searing heat touch him. “Will this help-” Did his brother genuinely think this was best for him? His body tried to jerk away. He was nervous about the alpha’s size- and what it meant if he let it inside him. The force of her hips became more insistent. More inevitable. 

“Itachi!” he cried, feeling it breach his body. He threw his arms around his brother, comforting himself by fisting Itachi’s silken hair. Itachi shushed him gently, then gripped Sasuke’s hips and pushed him down on it. Even just the tip made him feel overstretched. He hadn’t been filled in months, and there just kept being more, and more, and more. For a few long seconds, he blacked out, and when he came back too- there was a fierce line of burning heat all along his insides.

He tried to squirm and lift himself off it. He only moved an inch before he realized how deep in him it was and how little of a chance he had of managing to get off. It felt amazing- it felt like he was shattering- and he had to get away- he had to have more-. He heard himself release a soft keening when the alpha under him thrust. What little strength he had in his legs gave, and he sank till the knot bumped against him, his spine twitching straight as its pulsing heat touched his lower lips. “Shh,” Kushina soothed, stroking his male part slowly. “It’s in,” Sasuke shivered, gasping in desperate breaths of air. The rod inside him was so thick- and so long- and he- he- “You’re already in trouble with the boy, so you might as well relax.”

Sasuke heard himself sob at the mention of Naruto. How would he explain this? Was it even possible? Only Itachi’s scent gave him any comfort, and he rubbed his face against his brother’s bare skin, searching desperately for it.

“Don’t tease him so,” Itachi admonished his alpha. He checked Sasuke, nosing his cheek. Sasuke mewled, pulling on Itachi’s hair to make sure his brother wouldn’t go. None of this made clear sense to him. He just knew his sickness had fled- and that he was letting the demoness fuck him. After everything- after- But this was to help him? Itachi told him it was right- but she’d still been his enemy- but her cock felt like it was saving him. He whimpered. “Look how upset he is.” Itachi kissed his cheek. “Don’t resist,” his brother urged him gently. Their lips were breaths apart. “We will return you to your mate when he gets back. I’ll make sure of it.”

“And until then, you belong to me,” Kushina growled low in her throat. “I’ll care for you, and I’ll fuck you as I please.” Sasuke shivered, feeling the throb of that alpha inside him. “Doesn’t that seem fair?” He nodded, his head movingly jerkily as though his strings had been cut. It really wasn’t. Kushina had played them all too easily. “Why don’t you make more of those pretty sounds for me, kitten?” Sasuke didn’t care, as long as he was returned to Naruto. He just needed to survive and for their child to survive. If Kushina and Itachi were both convinced he could live by doing this, then he would do what they said. 

Sasuke cried out when Kushina thrust, feeling it rattle him. He was being stretched and pierced like never before in his life. Even Naruto’s fox form hadn’t had the same combined size and forcefulness. He wasn’t used to it- he couldn’t take it. “Be gentle-” he begged, panting “with me.” He bit his lip before admitting with no small emotional difficulty, “I’m not as strong as Itachi.” He avoided his brother’s eyes, but Itachi just stroked his cheek, his expression full of gentle acceptance.

“I know, kitten,” Kushina soothed. “Relax, and it will become easier.” Sasuke tried. He took a deep breath. As the alpha withdrew for her next thrust, Sasuke’s body convulsed, trying to adapt to his partner’s size by spilling slick down the alpha’s length. When she pushed back into him, he felt more bubble out of him, coating her entirely in his fluids. “That’s it-” Kushina growled. “You get wet so easily-” she complimented. 

Sasuke shuddered, feeling her pierce deep into him, his slick letting more of her fit. “Your body knows, you see?” she asked. Sasuke couldn’t put a voice to his body’s greed, mostly because he could barely breathe, but also from sheer embarrassment over its complete lack of loyalty to its bonded mate- to the father of the child in his womb. Kushina groaned with pleasure, forcing herself in, down to the knot. “Such a shame, you’re wasted on that boy.” 

“No,” he argued, pressing the word out. For everything he allowed, he could not let her talk badly about Naruto.

“You love him, don’t you,” she sighed, amused, holding him down against her knot, trying to press it in.

“Y-yes,” Sasuke gasped. He made a soft sound of pain as the knot seemed to get wider than he’d be able to take. Kushina let up, and he panted in relief, tremors running up his body. The size of that thing- how could he be expected to take it? Itachi and Kushina carefully pulled him off her lap and maneuvered him onto his back. 

“Say it, or I won’t believe you,” Kushina demanded, pushing his arms aside and making him look at her. Her eyes dared him to lie.

“I love him,” Sasuke breathed, a bit shocked that he could still say it with what he was doing. Kushina seemed to believe him.

“If you really love him, give it all to me so that you can give him a healthy child,” she instructed him. “Hold him.” Itachi pulled Sasuke to rest against his chest, so he wasn’t on the hard floor. Sasuke quivered, seeing the massive, threatening sex of the alpha. He covered his eyes with his arms and let Kushina push his thighs apart. “That’s it, kitten,” she praised. 

She filled him again, her thick length stretching him as it slid into place. “Ah!” Sasuke gasped, his back arching. She pressed forward, her knot beginning to stretch him open. It was not as difficult as the other way, but it still demanded a lot of him. At its widest part- he felt like he might break. “Wait-” he begged, trying to slide back. “I can’t-”

“Stop. Moving.” Kushina snarled at him in frustration, and he mewled quietly, shying away from her. That seemed to amuse her at least, ticking the corner of her mouth into a dangerous smirk. “You are such a brat. How does he put up with you?” She must mean his alpha.

“It might be easier if he releases first.” Itachi mused softly. Kushina hummed in agreement, pausing from trying to wrestle her knot into Sasuke’s body. Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief. She was still inside him- she still owned him, but he’d have a second to adjust before he had to be tied to her. Was it so much more comfortable with Naruto because Sasuke wanted it, and Sasuke trusted him? Did his feelings of love make him bear suffering with pleasure for Naruto’s sake? He knew his body’s reluctance was making it take longer. “Touch it, Sasuke.” He couldn’t think. For now, he could just do as he was told.

“Mm.” He touched it, his fingertips skating along its length, but he couldn’t bring himself to grasp it.

“Here. Like this.” Itachi guided Sasuke’s hand to the base of himself, then molded his fingers around it. “Easily,” Itachi encouraged, his voice going soft and breathy. “Not too tight.” He made Sasuke do it slowly. Was this how Itachi did it for himself? Was he excited, too? Sasuke twitched, his body clenching as his brother’s thumb swiped over the tip of him, teasing the sensitive slit. Sasuke gasped. He’d just been- touched directly by his brother. Itachi said nothing, let nothing on. It could have been an accident. His brother’s influence changed his mood entirely. Kushina whined softly, feeling forgotten. Somehow Itachi had actually made Kushina wait for his say-so. A mystery.

“Stroke him inside,” Itachi instructed the alpha. Kushina obeyed, thrusting, and Sasuke whimpered, his body stiffening and resisting Kushina with its apprehensive tightness. “Gently, my lady.” Itachi reminded. She slowed, matching the rhythm of Itachi’s fist around Sasuke’s. It made him feel- so hot. Kushina felt good when she wasn’t trying to break him in half, and that together with the strange, heady pleasure of his brother watching him, guiding him- he shuddered, his body tensing again. She was long and thick, and if she moved slowly, he could feel all of it, pushing on every sensitive spot from his entrance to his womb. He couldn’t hold it much longer. His legs began to tremble, and his eyes fluttered. “Are you close?” Sasuke left out a soft mewl, and Itachi smiled at him indulgently, his dark eyes drinking in Sasuke’s expression as he came. “Go on,” his brother urged. “Take it.”

“Itachi~” Sasuke gasped, desperately. The hand still holding onto his brother’s arm tightened. Itachi sped up their hands, only a little. Sasuke came, his body clenching hard around Kushina. His male part released with enough force that it spattered over his collarbones, which heaved desperately as he tried to breathe. 

“I’m here,” Itachi promised. Sasuke’s body went soft after he’d come. His inner walls still fluttered lightly from the aftershocks. “So behave, now,” Itachi reminded him, crossing his arms over Sasuke’s chest and holding him in place. Itachi was strong. Sasuke couldn’t move. It would happen, then. But with Itachi in charge, he thought he could bear it. Kushina pushed his knees apart to make more room for herself and thrust back into him, pushing herself in to the base. This already felt like more than enough, and Sasuke quivered, knowing there was more yet. The omega grabbed onto his brother’s sleeves, vocalizing a desperate whine that degenerated into pathetic hiccuping moans as Kushina rocked the thickest part of the knot against him, not giving him any reprieve until his body submitted, beginning to part for it. It still felt too big, too hot.

The alpha growled impatiently, then thrust hard. Sasuke- was shattering- his mouth parted on a breathless, silent scream, and then it was inside. His body sealed around it, his tight opening unable to stay pried open wide like that. Instead, it pulsed deep inside him. He felt it begin to expand, pinching him at his core as his body fought not to stretch anymore. It was more than any of him could bear. What would become of him after he gave in to this? Gasping for breath- the omega blacked out again.

When he awoke, he was tied, his body convulsing in overwhelmed pleasure around Kushina’s knot. He’d come at some point. He could see it on Itachi’s sleeves. He felt guilty, flushing with embarrassment over his body's lustful behavior. The alpha’s release was pumping into him in long, heated spurts. “It's too much-” he mumbled, still dazed. His face was resting in Itachi’s palm, and Sasuke’s fingers ached from how tightly they were fisted into his brother’s sleeves. “Hurts-” he whispered. His insides felt like a giant bruise, but his cock didn’t care. It leaked cum onto him in wanton dribbles, matching Kushina’s lustful rhythm inside him.

“You’ll be alright,” Kushina promised, her voice uncommonly gentle. “You’ll see. Trust me.” Sasuke nodded weakly, wanting to agree- wishing to be alright. “Breathe, kitten.” He’d forgotten. With all that cock in him, holding his breath had seemed more simple. He took a deep shuddering inhale, quivering as it shifted the knot inside. Kushina leaned forwards and licked his mouth, and the gesture was so like Naruto that his lips parted. Sasuke moaned, feeling her tongue tease his. He had no fight left. Let her take what she wanted. “Don’t you feel better?” she asked.

Kushina leaned over his shoulder to kiss Itachi. Her knot throbbed, and Sasuke felt the flood of her seed expand the shaft before it spilled into him. Sasuke moaned breathlessly, and the pressure from inside made his own comparatively much smaller member release again, spilling onto his round, pregnant tummy.

“Are you truly better?” Itachi urged him to answer once he bonded pair had separated. He activated his Sharingan and scrutinized Sasuke’s body. “You look better, and your chakra is aligning, but how do you feel?”

“Mmn,” Sasuke replied, still holding onto his brother’s arm for comfort. “Improved.” He did feel better. The heat of the demon’s energy pumped into him through her seed had worked. There was no more nauseating tipping. No more clamminess. The omega even felt hungry. But to replace the physical sickness came the guilt. 

What had the two of them... done to him? And should he be grateful?

The two of them were not conflicted. Kushina looked mighty proud of herself, and Itachi was serene as could be. “What a relief,” Itachi sighed, kissing Sasuke’s cheek and temple. He held Sasuke until the alpha’s knot went down, and the omega could wiggle off it. Sasuke felt a surge of panic when Kushina reached for him again and made a soft fearful noise, turning his face into Itachi’s arm.“Stop that,” Sasuke heard his brother scold. “He needs to sleep.”

“That’s it?” Kushina complained. “That’s not enough.” It was- it was far more than enough. Sasuke’s body was still spilling Kushina’s hot, chakra charged seed in a thick bubbling flow, letting it puddle under him in a pool of white. He was relieved to feel the pressure taken off him as his body emptied. Even if he absolutely had to be under her again, it couldn’t be so soon.

“I’ll handle the rest for you, my alpha,” Itachi promised. “You can see if he’ll take you again after he’s rested.”

“You’re too strict with me,” Kushina complained but took her hand off Sasuke’s thigh. The omega quivered in relief, and Itachi brushed an affectionate palm over his hair. Sasuke felt all at once terrible about how he’d spoken to Itachi times before when he’d been trying to get chakra, and just earlier when he’d doubted him. His brother really did care about him. “He said he was mine,” the demoness complained.

“For now,” Itachi reminded her. “Don’t take advantage.”

“You said you’d take care of it for me.” Kushina’s growl was low and filthy, and Sasuke’s body already responded to it. He didn’t look at her, afraid it would get worse, and she’d scent him. He couldn’t do it again. No matter how aroused his body decided to be. “Show me how.”

“Over here. He’s resting.” Thankfully Itachi led her away a bit, allowing Sasuke to relax. He lay there in her seed for a while, gathering the strength so he could move enough to get up. At that point, he used his clothes to clean himself and desperately wished for a bath. The best he could do was crawl to the mattress nearby and burrow his way under the covers. He pulled Itachi’s pillow to him and breathed his brother’s comforting scent. 

Sasuke’s body fluttered and spilled something thicker than his slick. The alpha had left much of herself. No wonder Itachi had conceived so quickly. But he wasn’t touching himself, definitely not to his brother’s scent or Kushina’s thick, sticky seed. He was just trying to keep the bed clean and maybe stroking the slit a little, just to see if he was leaking more. He let out a tiny moan, his breath getting away from him.

Sasuke startled when Itachi was let down into the bed beside him, naked and quivering. There were fresh bite marks on his pale body, and his expression was soft and dazed as he luxuriously stretched himself. Itachi was glowing and healthy. He hadn’t had to go without his mate, which made Sasuke melancholy, and jealous. But not jealous enough to let his brother shiver. Sasuke shifted the blanket to let Itachi under, but only then realized what type of scent he was letting rise from underneath.

“What are you doing under there?” A dangerous voice intoned near his ear. Crimson locks brushed his skin. “That’s for me, isn’t it?” Sasuke whimpered as Kushina drew the blanket back, and cool air pricked up gooseflesh on every inch of his skin. “Just once more, and I’ll let you go, for today,” the alpha decided, dragging him across the bed by his calves, then his thighs, then his hips. Sasuke was under her, and Kushina was hard- threatening him with it. She held him by his throat and his hip, digging claws into his skin. 

He squirmed, but she was so strong that he only managed to tease the tip of her with his spasming entrance, which he could tell she liked, from the way she twitched against him, and her low, pleasured growl. “Your brother even bought you some time to rest,” she teased, grinning at him with all her sharp, white fangs. He shied from her as she pressed against him, and she twitched again. She liked him squirming and nervous, or even afraid. He couldn’t even do as much as refuse to give her the satisfaction. He was afraid. Would Itachi still be able to step in if she decided to hurt him?

“No-” Sasuke protested. He wasn’t ready. But her clawed hands were absolute, and he’d crawled into her bed bare. He’d agreed to belong to her until Naruto came home. Belonging to her, he found, was different from belonging to Naruto. ‘No’ didn’t even give Kushina a pause, didn’t even warrant a response. “Ah!” He gasped, feeling her swiftly enter him. Even well slicked with her cum, the ridge on her head caught him, pulling against him and filling him with convulsive pleasure. He bit into his forearm to try and quiet his desperate sounds, but the sensation was so much that he could only cry out “Fuck-” his moist lips parting against his arm as his core tightened, and all his other muscles all released. 

She pinned his arms over his head, leaving him nowhere to hide. “I’m-” he gasped, flushing hotly as his eyes were forced to meet hers. His world had become the fall of her flaming red hair, her sharp silver eyes devouring him, and her small, pert breasts bouncing as she thrust against him. Each thrust struck some bruised target inside him, pleasure and pain mixing too much to be separated. He slicked, his body shameless, approving of how he was being fucked. “Please, mercy-” he begged, shuddering as a violent sensation threatened to take him.

“Go on, come for me,” Kushina growled, grinding herself deeper, thrusting harder. Their flesh slapped together, her knot smacking the tender flesh at his entrance. Was that what this feeling was- he was coming? He’d never come like this. Sasuke’s eyes rolled back, and his whole body raced with sensation, shaking out of control as if he’d shocked himself with lightning, all his muscles spasming in waves that climbed up from his toes, through his hips and abdomen, all the way to his shoulders and only ending where his spine met the back of his head. Even his teeth chattered from it. Each time those waves moved through his hips, the alpha groaned in concert with him, still thrusting roughly into Sasuke’s thoroughly overstimulated opening.

He sobbed, gasping for breath, and his vision dotted itself with lights. This couldn’t be coming. This sensation could break him. Eventually, his muscles seemed to have wholly exhausted themselves and went completely weak. His mouth was wet.

“I never-” Sasuke gasped. He bit his mouth. She could never hear those words. But it was too late. Her eyes were sharp with interest.

“You never came before?” Sasuke didn’t meet her eyes, scowling. It was none of her business. “Answer,” she growled, forcing his head to the side and threatening Sasuke’s throat with her fangs. Sasuke went completely still, his lips parting in surprise. Kushina must know how afraid it made him. She was threatening his life.

“Never like that,” he breathed, feeling her teeth trace his pulse. “Don’t bite-” Sasuke pleaded, feeling her teeth close lightly on his skin. “Please.” His body only shuddered fitfully around her. Other than that, he remained still. The omega did his best to submit. He knew she’d down bite hard if he struggled or challenged her. Satisfied with his behavior, she let him go and tasted his skin with her tongue instead. A moan slipped by Sasuke’s lips. Her mouth was hot and felt good against his buzzing skin.

“Good boy,” she praised, drawing back. She licked her way into his mouth and dominated his tongue with her own. Kushina let him fall from her lips, watching him pant breathlessly with deep gold satisfaction flashing in her usually silver eyes. “Our secret,” she promised.

He tried to shift away, but she shook her head. “I haven’t finished yet, kitten.” Sasuke let out a pathetic mewl as she leaned against him and made him take her knot into himself. It was easier, he was looser from being knotted already, but his body still held it so tightly he could barely breathe. She sighed, her crimson lashes falling against her cheeks. “Perfect,” she praised, her fang catching her lip, and came. She pushed her long red hair out of her face and looked over the bed, seemingly trying to figure out how to lay down with them tied like this. If he weren’t pregnant, she probably would have just put her weight on top of it and let him deal with it.

Sasuke shivered, letting himself be moved so his back was to Itachi, and Kushina laid on his leg, still trapped inside by their tie. Despite being taller than him, she wasn’t actually that heavy. She stroked his cheek fondly, looking ever so pleased with herself. If he looked at her, she was quite attractive. She had… freckles. He realized he’d spent months avoiding her face, but now he saw that Naruto looked just like her, other than his markings and the colors he’d obviously taken from Minato. “You see, you needn’t have kept it from me so long. You could have been coming like this since he left if you knew how to behave.”

He scowled. “This isn’t what I came here for,” Sasuke hissed. Her eyes flashed, and her brows drew up, and he inhaled softly, knowing he needed to soften his tone. He’d forgotten. Most alphas did not just let their omega speak however they pleased. He'd forgotten how singularly lenient his mate was. He wouldn’t apologize, but he could look sort of contrite, and he did.

Kushina huffed and seemed to accept that, relaxing. “Then how did you think you’d get that much chakra?” she asked.

Sasuke’s eyes lowered to her mouth. “Sakura said we could snake seal.”

“You mean, hold hands?” She broke into derisive laughter. “You thought you could-” She broke off, choking on her mirth. “Maybe if you tried it four cycles ago-” she couldn’t contain her giggles. “But even then-” She flicked a strand of his hair from his face, teasing him. “You silly naive thing. Who raised you?”

She… wasn’t wrong. He’d been a fool. “Don’t laugh,” Sasuke whispered. Kushina snickered, the line of her mouth wavering. Then louder, and with more anxiety: “Don’t-” A tear slid down his cheek, and many quickly followed it, slipping one after the other down his face. “Ah-” the fact that he was crying surprised even him.

“Oh, oh, don’t cry,” Kushina sighed, her grin falling. But what had she thought would happen, being so mean to him? “I forgot you pregnant omega get so emotional.” She curved one arm under his head to make him more comfortable and wiped his cheeks with the heel of her other hand. “That face doesn’t suit you at all.”

“Then don’t fucking look at me!” He hissed weakly.

She was trying not to laugh at him anymore, but she thought it was funny. He could see it. “Hush. Hush.” Kushina squeezed him, so her breaths forced his to run opposite to hers, and it somehow steadied him. “Breathe, kitten,” she encouraged, scratching her claws lightly on his nape. “The danger is over now.” Was it? “You’re safe. You’re safe.” 

He felt another touch move around his waist and embrace him. Itachi, comforting him yet again. His brother purred softly to assure him that, yes, he was safe. This was a place Itachi felt secure, so Sasuke should do the same. Sasuke purred as well, not because he felt safe but because he desperately wanted to be.

Kushina laughed. “So you both purr like that,” she teased. “It’s much more endearing than the crying, I must say.” Sasuke hid his face in her shoulder, hiding from both of them, letting her pet him as her knot kept filling him more and more. Purrs kept slipping from him. It made him feel better if he soothed himself that way. He’d done it before when he was hurt and alone. Still, all the purring in the world couldn’t make him forget that he was just a stupid child.

When they finally separated, Kushina stretched and got up. She pushed a cloth into his hands to clean himself up. “Tonight, I need to run. But you’ll be fine for that much time.” She touched his mouth, pressing her claw past his lips and against his tongue. He allowed her to do it, didn't even dare to bite her finger like he would have done to his mate. “Good kitten,” she growled, pleased with his submission. “You can learn, after all.” Her touch slipped away, and she left for outside, still naked. Moonlight spilled into the room, bathing Sasuke in its cool blue light.

“Itachi,” Sasuke murmured, as his brother tucked him in. “How do you-” he flushed, squeezing the cloth tighter between his thighs as she began to leak from him. “Not even Naruto-”

“That alpha of yours isn’t fully matured yet,” Itachi told him, checking on the fire nearest Sasuke. He spared the younger omega an amused look. “You’ll have time to adjust,” he added, smirking. Sasuke didn’t know how he felt about Naruto becoming more like his sire. Would only his body change, or would his personality shift too?

“And you?” Sasuke asked. He didn’t think it was too out of place to ask. Itachi had watched him, twice. He could admit he was curious about his brother.

“I had been waiting a long time for that,” his brother told him plainly, standing. “You are lucky to grow into such a mate as Naruto, who will eventually reach her stature.” Sasuke shook his head, but Itachi was not interested in his denials. “You'll never face degeneration from an insufficient mate.” Sasuke didn’t argue with that. That was a rather fair point... assuming Naruto would still keep him after this.

“It's too much,” Sasuke whispered, remembering. His body clenched, and guilt raced through him. “She’s so-” Itachi touched his lips, silencing him.

“I won’t say anything. You don’t have to protest,” Itachi teased. His finger was hot, getting hotter. His eyes began to bleed red, showing their geometric star shape, and as he withdrew, dark flames started to lick at his brother’s outline. This conversation would end soon, Sasuke knew. When his brother got like this, Sasuke had always had to leave him alone.

“About what?” Sasuke asked. “To who?”

“To your mate,” Itachi explained patiently. “I won’t say anything, even if you happen to return on one night or the other.” Sasuke sputtered in protest. Itachi had the gall to think it was funny. “Your brother understands.” He covered his mouth to laugh, but there was far too much amusement in his eyes. “A fucking like that is not easy to come by.”

“Shut up,” Sasuke hissed. “I didn’t do that because I wanted to.” Itachi hummed noncommittally, casting his eyes to the open doorway. If not for Itachi’s fire, Sasuke knew he would be freezing. “I didn’t-”

“Hush.” His brother gave him an indulgent look, cupping his cheeks. “It’s fine,” Itachi promised.

“But-” Sasuke whined.

“You’ve done the right thing.” Itachi’s hands on his cheeks had warmed until they were just shy of burning. He pulled back quickly, as soon as Sasuke winced away from the heat. “Apologies, dear brother. It seems I need to go now. Sleep well.”

“Where will you go?” Sasuke asked, even though he knew. He didn’t want to be left alone. It would be selfish and childish to ask Itachi to stay with him, so instead, he asked a useless question to get the precious seconds he could.

“I’m going to go with her,” Itachi answered, standing. Already Sasuke could feel the coldness rushing into the room around him. “You can rest without worry.”

“You-” Sasuke flushed deeply. But he had to know. It was a full moon, after all. Kushina’s eyes had been changing shades, and he thought she must need to change forms entirely soon enough. “You fit it?” He asked, looking at his hands. “Even like that? Everything?”

“It takes some time,” Itachi admitted, crossing the room. Sasuke heard the crunch in the snow, Itachi’s first departing footstep. “Some force.” Another soft footfall. Itachi must be restraining himself from leaving to finish the conversation. He really wanted to be gone already. “Perhaps you’ll be waiting a while to experience it. This, I will not share.”

“I didn’t want it,” Sasuke hissed. “Not from her, anyway.” Naruto was another story entirely.

“It’s kind of you to save it for him,” Itachi replied. Sasuke nearly gasped, hearing his inner thoughts turned out into the world. Itachi snickered, and Sasuke flushed, scowling at the bedspread. “Rest well,” the elder omega called through the last gap in the door. “I’ll be back in the morning.” 

“Tch,” Sasuke snapped. The panel clicked shut, and Sasuke curled toward the glowing fire his brother had fed for him before leaving. He heard Itachi’s steps pick up into a light run as he made to catch up with his mate. Sasuke wondered how long he’d be able to sleep peacefully before Kushina returned and made her demands. “Come home soon,” he whispered into the darkness, shivering as the cold caressed his back. 

He piled more blankets onto himself and let his body heat fill the hollow formed by his body. A night before, he would have been too sick to able to get warm on his own. “Naruto.” From inside him, he felt a sudden rolling. A small limb pressed out impetuously against the smooth surface of his pregnant belly. He touched it and was rewarded with a soft kick. He breathed a deep sigh of relief.

Whatever happened, at least it wouldn't have been for nothing.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kushina kinda broke the boy.  
> Naruto gets his chest kicked in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's late. I'm a degenerate. It's nbd.

“Sasuke-” He paused, turning to meet Sakura’s eyes. He was still beyond words, but he knew he’d have to answer her, or she wouldn’t leave him alone. “You went to her rooms?”

“I needed her help,” he replied, keeping his tone neutral. “I wasn’t feeling well enough to get up until now.”

“You look a lot better, but you said you needed the beast’s chakra, and without Naruto coming back-” She looked him up and down and smiled. “To recover so quickly… Don’t tell me you-” her expression was ambiguous, and so he couldn’t tell if she was thinking he’d gotten over himself and snake-sealed with Kushina. Or maybe she was about to be disappointed in him for starting a fight. She was wrong on both counts.

“We didn’t hold hands,” he informed her. She frowned, and before she could speak, he added: “We also didn’t fight.”

She was silent, her brow knitted in confusion. Then her eyes fell to his neck. “Oh, I see,” she realized, her eyes widening in shock. He knew Kushina bruised him there, and he could feel Sakura’s gaze. He covered the mark with his palm. She’d already seen it, but it seemed to burn when her eyes rested on it. The hall was silent, neither of them knowing what to say. “Well, that’s not very good,” she finally expressed.

“It’s not,” Sasuke sighed. “But-”

“But it's better than no baby and certainly better than no you,” Sakura interrupted him surely, pulling him into her arms. Sasuke was a little surprised to be hugged. He’d expected a lecture about how terrible he was. “Naruto will understand,” Sakura promised him, instead. He wanted her touch to comfort him, but- it just didn’t do anything. She was still his medic, and he knew she’d never hurt him, but the feeling of security was just… not there. He needed Naruto. But Naruto wasn’t there and was the one who Sasuke had betrayed.

“Will he?” Sasuke asked, unsure.

“I don’t know,” Sakura answered. “We’re going to hope so.” She looked around, seeing that they were alone. She lowered her voice. “Are you allowed to leave?”

“Who is she to tell me?” Sasuke hissed. Sakura blinked at him a little surprised, and he reminded himself to watch his tone and be soft when he added: “Her and Itachi have been out all night running.” After all, she was trying to help him.

Sakura went to her room and returned with two sets of thick outer layers and boots. “Then let's go outside,” she encouraged. Sakura pinched his cheek. “You look so pale.” 

“I’ve always been pale,” he reminded her. But Sakura shrugged and waited for him to get dressed and follow her. He put the boots and coat on and stood by the door to show he was ready.

“A little fresh air and sun will do you well,” she affirmed, sliding open what seemed like a portal to the outdoors. The winter wind did smell heavenly. It was clean from the snow and moist, where the inside air was dry and a little stuffy.

He stepped through. He realized it was his first time seeing the sun in so long. It predictably blinded him. Sakura pulled on his arm, and he hoped that she was choosing sound footing because the shining whiteness of the morning was too much for him. The omega had his eyes closed to slits to be able to bear it, and tears pearled on his cheeks as the glare made them water.

“Let’s sit” She threw something over the icy bench. Sasuke felt it with his fingertips. A fur, so he wouldn’t get wet when he sat down. Sakura cuddled right up to his side, and they got warm. The bench seemed shaded by the roof hanging over, and he was able to slowly pry his eyes open and take in the beauty of the snowy courtyard. In the distance, the little house. Sasuke’s mind played tricks on him, and he saw his mate’s shadow around the back of the building, but when he tried to focus on it, it melted away. He rubbed his eyes, trying to clear them. “It’s normal to be tired. It’s almost time,” Sakura told him. Not for the first time, she’d sensed his thoughts without him needing to speak. Maybe it was because he leaned so heavily on her shoulder.

“How much longer?” Sasuke would be relieved when it was over.

“Two or three more cycles, depending on if your body feels the child is ready.” It would have felt short enough, typically, but in his state, it seemed like the past two had been eons, and the next two would be the rest of his life. “As I said, you’ll deliver in spring.”

“That’s nice,” he sighed emptily. Maybe it would be better if he didn’t live past birth. What would he do with himself afterward?

“You did the right thing,” Sakura told him. Sasuke blinked at her. “I know you’re worrying.” She tapped her forehead. Sasuke looked away from her. Her intuition as a woman and as a healer together was too good. He was grateful to be around her, but he wasn’t sure how much longer he could take it. “If he has any sense, he’ll be grateful,” she huffed.

“And if he hasn’t?” Sasuke asked.

“Then you’ll still have borne him a child. He’ll have to provide for you.” Sasuke nodded. Sure, he would have what he needed to survive. But would he be able to live? He should never have gotten so attached to his alpha. He should have followed Itachi’s way. “You’ll have options,” Sakura was telling him. “And if you have to leave here, I’ll go with you.” Sasuke blinked at her in shock, but her green eyes were steady and true. 

Sasuke knew she’d been flirting with Ino. Sakura had her own life to try and make. To do that for him was deeply kind. But was he a monster to consider taking her so that he wouldn’t be alone? “We’re close now, aren’t we?” She asked, shyly, as if his rejection worried her. Sasuke nodded quickly, unsure of how else to respond. He could bring himself to tell her he didn’t want it. His eyes stung, but it wasn’t the sun anymore. “You won’t be alone,” she promised, squeezing his hands. “But Naruto is gentle-hearted,” she repeated confidently. “He’ll blame himself that you had to.” Sasuke didn’t understand how her trust in him was so solid. Naruto was his mate. “It will make things hard, but not impossible.” Should he feel confident, if anyone could? He didn’t, though.

He didn’t know what to say. He just knew that if he’d followed Naruto right away, or if he’d been strong enough to not get sick in the first place, they’d still be together. This wouldn’t be happening. It was his fault for being weak. It always came down to that. “Have you written to him again?” Sasuke asked. Sakura nodded but didn’t add anything, so it was apparent that she’d gotten no reply.

“I’m sorry,” she finally told him, hugging the omega to her side. Sasuke nodded. He choked softly, feeling his chest constrict with grief. He refused to cry, so it turned into a choking wheeze. “Oh no,” she fretted, cupping his cheeks. Her hands were icy from being outside. “I thought you were better.” The sun was dazzling. He wanted to hide. He didn’t belong in a bright world anymore.

“I don’t know,” Sasuke lied. He knew. His heart was broken.

“Then let's take you inside.” Sakura fretted Sasuke onto his feet and tugged him back indoors. “Maybe you’ve had too much sun,” she thought. Sasuke followed her, feeling too weak to tell her it wasn’t- or even to lie and agree. She was removing Sasuke’s coat when something behind him caught her eyes. “Ah- Itachi, what is it?” She asked, still brushing snow off Sasuke’s shoulders.

That was all the warning he got before his brother touched his hand and turned him around. The elder omega tilted his face up, and he was observed with Sharingan for a moment. Momentarily, Itachi decided his state. “You need an alignment.”

“Right,” he sighed because, of course. He steeled himself, or rather- he emptied himself. He poured all his emotions out, even as he stepped out of his borrowed boots and handed them back to Sakura. She gave him a worried look but turned around to her rooms. Itachi’s hand touched the small of his back, and the younger omega walked where his brother led him.

“Where have you been?” Kushina asked sharply upon seeing him.

“Sakura’s room,” he answered, unsatisfied with the quietness of his voice. He should be able to speak louder, to shout at her. He couldn’t.

She seemed to settle. “You should get your health checked whenever you like. But I don’t think you’ll be needing her much more.” He didn’t answer. She looked up from her scroll and wrinkled her nose at the way he was just standing there. “Come here,” she ordered. He crossed the room. “Sit.” He sat. “That’s it, kitten,” she praised, brushing his hair back. 

Kushina’s touch felt good. He hated her, but the hate was like sand slipping through his fingers. He wanted to… lie down against her side, press his body to the furnace of her chakra. Itachi had been right. A whole night away was too much. So he’d be with them every day, it seemed. It wasn’t that he could just come and go. “Treasure, will you read to me?” Kushina was asking Itachi, her world blissfully perfect. Sasuke hated her, but again, it bled away.

“Of course.” His brother came, collected the scroll from her hand, and then stretched himself out on nearby cushions to read. His deep voice began to recite some poems, and Sasuke was able to relax a bit. If they were just sitting around, he was safe.

“And you?” Kushina asked. “You don’t look comfortable.”

“I’m fine,” he replied stiffly. He looked down, avoiding her eyes. “I don’t have to-?”

“The other day was a dramatic situation which required a... direct effort.” She touched his cheek. “From now on, this will be fine as long as you stay by me and behave yourself.” She pushed her hand up through his hair, and he leaned forward, allowing it because the contact increased his physical wellbeing instantly. “I’ll have you again when you beg me.” He didn’t say it would never happen. It felt like an unnecessary fight. But he definitely could never allow her to have him again. He was already worried about the effects the first time had had.

Sasuke felt tired from thinking about it, from worrying. So… tired. “Besides, I’ve just had a run. I’m ready for a nap.” A nap did sound nice. He gave up his pride and curled against her side like his body had been asking him to do. The alpha kept lightly petting and scratching his nape, holding him against her soft chest. Kushina had no right to feel so comfortable. The alpha’s slow heartbeat and breaths had no right to lull him into restfulness. “How fine he purrs,” Kushina complimented.

He tried to stop, but whenever he dropped his guard, it started again. They dozed, and when she was awake, she complimented Itachi’s reading and spoke to him cheerily of a great many other things. The muted vibrations through her chest never managed to wake him fully. Hours passed this way.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Kushina demanded as Itachi pushed Sasuke from her arms. Sasuke made a matching noise of annoyance as he was ripped rudely back into his reality. It was cold, away from her.

“Take care of me,” Itachi requested, his low voice taking on a tinge of desperation. He was flickering, beginning to ignite with dark flame.

“Last night too,” Sasuke realized. “Why? You’re already with child, so you shouldn’t be in heat.” Even being fevered seemed like a stretch. After all, wouldn’t that mean Itachi loved her? He didn’t believe it. If Itachi loved her- Sasuke didn’t know what. But he definitely couldn’t deal with it.

“Years of being unsatisfied, I think,” Kushina mused, stroking Itachi’s side and accepting his kisses. “Itachi slips into fever like it’s nothing.” The alpha helped her brother strip down, continuing to kiss him affectionately on whatever parts came near her mouth as he shimmied out of his clothes. Sasuke desperately wanted his alpha. Wanted someone to kiss him and worry about his condition like it was their business. “Luckily, it's not enough to set anything aflame anymore. It’s just quite hot.”

“I’m sorry, brother, bear with me-” Itachi sighed, looking at Sasuke from what had until just recently been his spot. “But on the full moon, I sometimes still need my lady. For the sake of the child, we agreed I shouldn’t be allowed to burn for long.” It made sense. It was undue stress on Itachi’s health as well.

“I understand,” Sasuke replied. But his body was slow to move. “Do you… want me to leave?”

“You were too young to see me with Kisame, and I was disappointed you were not there,” Itachi replied, curling his fingers in Kushina’s hair and pulling. She bared her neck to him, unafraid, letting him kiss below her jaw. Sasuke watched her brother cheekily nip the alpha’s throat and heard Kushina’s resulting warning growl. Even though he was doing that, Itachi’s eyes stayed firmly locked to Sasuke’s. “But you’re here now.”

“And this is the mate that matters to you,” Sasuke realized. No Uchiha had watched Itachi bond with Kushina. Did he want Sasuke to stand in for their clan and recognize it? “You want me to-” his cock twitched under his clothes, and he bit his mouth. It was usual to touch yourself while viewing a taking, wasn’t it? They certainly had done it at his. And after Itachi saw him, he did want to even things out. But it would also mean accepting that his and Kushina’s bond was the real thing. 

“Yes,” Itachi’s voice was a deep purr. “Watch me.” All Sasuke could do was nod and watch the alpha jam herself into his brother. She stretched him so much- opening him wide and making him leak his fluids around her. She came out slicker and wetter each time, and Itachi moaned, his face in ecstasy as he laid on her shoulder, taking it and taking it.

“Look, he’s cumming,” Kushina growled, pleased. She kissed Itachi’s knuckles, watching the omega fall apart with a deep, possessive expression. Sasuke met his brother’s eyes and saw only bliss. His body started twitching hard, and Kushina let go of Itachi’s hand to grab his hips and force him down into her lap, knotting him as he came. 

Itachi spasmed, his nails digging into Kushina’s back. Sasuke watched them bleed, then heal, in seconds. Kushina kissed her mate, and Itachi let out a deep continuous purr, his body twitching as the alpha released all her seed into him. “Do you see?” Itachi asked, laying his head on her shoulder and playing lightly with the ends of her crimson hair. 

“I see it,” Sasuke admitted breathlessly. His Sharingan turned itself on unbidden. His mind swallowed the sight, memorized it. Sasuke saw Itachi’s muscles pressing out against his skin in his pleasure. He saw the pale inner thighs of his brother trembling. There was a mole there- he wanted to touch. Sasuke did not allow himself to reach out, but his body nearly quivered with the urge.

Sasuke also saw... that he couldn’t think of killing Kushina anymore. Sasuke couldn’t see the alpha as an object of hate because his brother cared about her. And... Sasuke’s body wanted to be fucked by her. The young omega knew what a combination like this could mean for him.

“You all right?” Itachi asked, no doubt noticing Sasuke’s emotions running through him. 

“Yes,” he lied. He was not all right. But there was nothing wrong with him, either.

“Good,” his brother smiled gently, and Sasuke let himself be drawn over Kushina’s shoulder so Itachi could kiss this forehead, then his cheek, maddeningly close to his mouth. Sasuke’s breath came in soft flutters. He was dizzy. “I’m glad.”

Sasuke had to leave. At least for a little while. “I’m going to see Hinata. I’m taking your things to wear,” he told Kushina. His old things smelled like the sweats of his sickness. He didn’t want to wear them anymore. 

“Hm,” Kushina’s face was displeased, but she was still hard and twitching, tied to his brother. Being rude just seemed too much of a temptation for disaster. She could easily decide to make him submit before letting him leave.

“Please?” Sasuke added, the word bitter in his mouth.

She looked like she might argue, but Itachi distracted her with more kisses to her collar, and her expression softened. “Yes, fine,” she sighed, running her fingers through absently Itachi’s hair. “Are you sleeping with her or coming back?”

“We’ll see,” he replied. He didn’t know how long his strength would last.

“Hm.”

“What?” Sasuke snapped.

Her dark red brows ticked at his tone. Sasuke decided he didn’t care if he was meant to be more subservient. Nor was he worried about how easily she could subdue him with force if she wanted to. He wasn’t entirely sure if he intended to live. “I’m trying to be lenient with you,” she growled. “But if you’re mine, you’ll tell me where you are and what you’re doing.”

“I won’t report to you every little move I make,” Sasuke argued, folding his arms. He wasn’t an infant. “I’m not leaving the house, isn’t that enough?”

“For another omega, maybe. I feel like if I let you roam free, you’ll get yourself killed.” Sasuke scowled at her. Kushina scowled back. After a moment, she sighed. She waved her hand, dismissing him. “Go. The house is yours, but-” Sasuke paused, halfway into her closet already. She made sure to meet his eyes and let him see violence there. “If you go outside without asking again, I’ll have to discipline you.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “What does that mean?”

“Don’t find out,” she snarled, her eyes flashing gold. Itachi gasped as her claws dug into him, his body rolling loosely against hers. Sasuke didn’t show it, but a shiver climbed his spine. He wondered if she might really hurt him, break his bones, or something similar. Sasuke’s instincts begged him to bow. He didn’t. Kushina had already stopped paying attention to him, he caught a snatch of her apologizing to his brother for the scratches, and the elder omega forgiving her immediately.

“Fine.” Sasuke spun on his heel and went to find clothes. There he found a simple tunic made of indigo wool. He fastened at the waist with a gray belt. Her leggings looked too long. He didn’t want to look small in her clothes, and that left his legs out, but he’d hurry across the house and be with Hinata soon enough.

Sasuke briefly touched Itachi’s hand as he was leaving, and his brother kissed his fingertips affectionately before letting him go. Then Sasuke hustled down the halls, trying to get to his second before he got cold.

“Hinata,” he greeted, finding his second in the room he’d initially set up. She was watering a plant that Sakura had given to her and murmuring encouragement to it. So relieved was Sasuke by the sight of her that he threw himself into her lap.

“Oh, Sasuke!” Hinata hugged him, and his body flooded with comfort. He purred, pressing closer and nearly knocking her over with pleasure to see her. “Hi!” she laughed, kissing him. “I missed you too. It’s been nearly two days.” Before that, they’d been together for weeks, only separating when Sasuke needed to make chaos.

“Mm,” he agreed. “What were you doing?”

“Watering the plants, but I finished.” The female omega pushed the watering can to the corner, where he wouldn’t knock it over by climbing on her. “Now, I think I’ll practice my paints,” Hinata told him, stroking his hair. They rubbed their cheeks together, and Sasuke felt warmth again. “And my hair so I can have a nice look when our dear alpha returns.”

“Can I try?” Sasuke asked. Hinata nodded, getting up and walking over to her chest of paints and ornaments. She directed him on what each pigment was for and then knelt neatly, open for his decoration. “Don’t move,” he told her. Other than her lips pursing slightly, her pretty moon face was relaxed and still. Like a springtime blossom, Sasuke made her eyes up yellow and lavender. Then he made her lips and cheeks faintly peachy. On a face like hers and with her personality, he liked subtle colors. His work didn’t look entirely as practiced as he’s seen her look before, but he wasn’t embarrassed by it.

“Can I practice on you?” She asked when he was done. Sasuke nodded, assuming her same position. He’d been interested in being made up more. When she let him see, he had neat red ovals around his eyes, and sweeping lines of kohl, almost like a theater performer’s makeup. She’d reddened his lips and cheeks naturally, only slightly darkening and intensifying the color from usual with a stain she dabbed from her finger. 

Then she combed his hair. That part was tricky. It was thoroughly tangled in places, and at one point, his silver charm fell out. It had matted in there. Sasuke tried not to whine about it, but it definitely wasn’t comfortable to let her wrestle out all his tangles. The thought of what Hinata had said about being presentable for their mate made him bear it. 

“Your haircut is gone.” Sasuke looked at his reflection again. Seeing himself mostly sorted out made him realize how unlike himself he’d looked before. Even combed, the strands were like a mop around his head. Glossy enough, mostly, but they had no form. With his red eyes and mouth, he looked exactly like a painting of a witch. On a different day, it might have made him laugh or angry. That day it just made him put the mirror down.

He submitted his hair to Hinata’s cutting. She fixed the back to how it was before: shorn close against his nape, then trimmed the sides. She left the front longer, carefully parting it and fastening one of the sides with his charm. “It’s so nice to get pretty after being sick, right?” She asked, securing the other side with a paper tie for symmetry. He did look nicer. It was thanks to her. Sasuke kissed her, even knowing that their lip colors would smear together.

“You’re so nice to me,” Hinata giggled, her mouth becoming red instead of peachy. He kissed her again. She submitted to him, laying in his arms. Thank goodness someone, at least, was willing to let him decide. “Sasuke,” she breathed, surprised but pleased. He thought briefly of doing something vicious to her, giving her some of the fear he’d been feeling. It died quickly. Her smile was too gentle, and she was carrying his child for goodness’ sake. He kissed her again, making sure to do it even more gently, and she moaned. 

“I’m sorry. I should be better, as your first,” Sasuke apologized, for both his lack of action and his fleeting, damaged thoughts. She deserved better. “I should always be nice to you.”

“You were quite ill, though you seem much better now.” She touched his cheeks. Giving him the steadying touch of cool silk he’d been craving. Her evenness was so needed. “Thank goodness.”

“Mm,” he agreed. His stomach rumbled. “Want to eat?” he asked, letting Hinata gently from his arms onto her back and moving to get up.

“You’re not cooking!” She sat up and hustled to the spot by the hearth, blocking it with her body. He realized it was smaller than she was used to. That she had to stoop low over her belly to use it, he didn’t like it. 

“Why not?” He asked.

“Because I like to do it!” Sasuke tried to get near the hearth and help, but she nudged him aside with her hip. “And, I’m better at it than you.” Sasuke couldn’t argue with that.

“Tch.” He at least made the fire for her, touching the coals to wake them up. “… I should tell you before you find out from someone else-” he sighed, watching them begin to glow. 

“What?” She asked, fussing after a clean pot.

“Until Naruto returns, I have to be Kushina’s.” He met her eyes, and she was staring at him in confused shock. “So I can finish carrying,” he explained, his eyes fleeing her face. She looked betrayed, he knew—both for Naruto’s reasons and her own. “Or else I’ll lose it.”

“And you want me to-”

He shook his head. “I won’t lie about it. It won’t be a secret. He’ll accept it, or he won’t.” Sasuke could never make Hinata lie, especially not to their alpha, not about something like that. He couldn’t ever be so cruel to her. 

Hinata was relieved to hear that. He could see it all over her. “He’ll accept it,” Hinata decided. “If you do it the way you said.” She agreed that lying would be a terrible mistake, but she had a trust in Naruto that Sasuke didn’t feel. Would he be as confident in her position? And she in his?

“Maybe,” Sasuke replied, unwilling to have too much hope. Hinata took his hand and squeezed. He squeezed back. “I’ll be with you as much as I can, but if I’m not, I’ll be with her. You don’t need to worry or look for me.” He explained how it would be until Naruto got back. She nodded, clearly unhappy. “And if you need something from her, I can get it for you.”

“Of course, Sasuke,” she told him. They sat together in silence awhile, And Hinata folded him under her sleeves like he’d hoped she would.

Eventually, she hummed into the silence and then asked, “If you’re sure it’s a simple thing, this room was chosen randomly, right?” He nodded. “There are some better ones on the other side that get nicer light for Sakura’s plants, and I also just like getting a little sun…”

“Already using me?” Sasuke faked a gasp. “So heartless.”

She fretted, flushing cutely. “You said I could.”

“I’m just teasing. I’ll do it.” He’d already known he wanted to move her. He’d picked this part of the house because it was out of the way, but there was no need for that. If Sasuke was honest within his thoughts, he knew that losing Naruto’s child had made Kushina lose interest in Hinata. There was no reason for his second to be alone in a light-less room for the rest of winter.

“And-” she asked, lowering her voice.

“Yes?”

“You’re the only one here for me-” she told him, biting her peachy and red smeared lips. They looked like tulip petals to him and made him long for spring. “If you could touch me?” He laughed. Everything about her was such a relief. He’d thought she was weak once, but lately, her gentleness was everything to him. She flushed harder, covering her cheeks. “Don’t tease me, my first,” she begged.

He pushed her sleeves aside and kissed her. Kissed her till he had her pinned against the floor and was feeling her quiver softly under him. If Itachi and Kushina were a burn, Hinata would be cool, soothing water.

He undressed and then untied her sash to open her robes. She kept them on, just fanned out around her, shivering. It was probably a bit cool to be naked, but he couldn’t feel it. He was too focused on her to feel his own body until they met.

When he did feel, it was warm wetness surrounding him and the way she fluttered when he teased her plump breasts with his mouth. It was slow because they both were showing and had to be careful, but she was tight from being untouched, and he was stiff from wanting to lead, so it went quickly for both of them.

“Hinata,” he gasped, feeling her find her gasping, arching pleasure, and wanting to follow her. “Hinata, I’m-” Even if he’d led, he still wanted her permission. No, he needed it.

“Yes,” she allowed. “Of course you can.” Sasuke relaxed and came. Careful of both their bodies, he rolled onto the bed by her side, panting as he looked at the ceiling. She linked her hand with his. “Thank goodness,” she sighed. “I was suffering, you know?” Sasuke smirked at her. “I didn’t want to ask till you felt better.”

“I’ll make sure not to forget you again,” he promised, kissing the back of her hand. They both giggled.

“Ah, look,” Hinata sighed sleepily, rolling onto her side toward him. “She’s moving.” She took Sasuke’s hand by the wrist and placed it against her side. “Touch.” He felt around, and he could feel the soft lump of their unborn child. It wiggled at the pressure of his hand, then settled.

“What part is that?”

“I think it’s her bottom?” Hinata guessed, poking lightly nearby. There was another slight shift. “When I touch her head, she moves more than that.”

“Watch out you don’t poke her in the eye,” Sasuke teased. “Does she kick much?” he asked. He touched his own belly. “This one is punching me.” It was sometimes enough to knock the wind from him if the child aimed just right. “Though, I’m relieved about that.” He’d much rather spend the whole pregnancy gasping than ever feel that sluggish stillness again.

“No. Just a lot of rolling, like she can’t get comfortable,” Hinata admitted. “Mother’s womb isn’t up to her exacting standards, apparently.” Her voice went down slightly at the end of her statement. Sasuke knew she felt shame over her first pregnancy, as short as it had been.

“It’s perfect,” Sasuke corrected before she could feel any amount of insecurity about it. “You Hyuuga are just spoiled.”

Hinata giggled. Sasuke let her poke at his belly until the child kicked there. He hissed lightly, and she bit her lip, looking up at him with a mixture of guilt and amusement. Then she poked some more. After the third kick, Sasuke gently pushed her hand away. “Enough.”

They lay there and chatted, catching up on the last day’s events, though Sasuke omitted much of his feelings about events. Eventually, he decided it was time for him to return to Kushina’s side. He didn’t feel sick yet, but he could sense that his time was beginning to run short. He didn’t want to get to the point where he needed her. 

“Do you have to go?” Hinata asked, pouting. Her hand lightly gripped his clothes, slowing him in getting up.

“Yes. I need to stay close to that demon.” Sasuke kissed her cheek and took a deep breath of her comforting scent, feeling her do the same to him. A rough winter, they were both having. “But I’ll be back to see you soon. With new rooms.” He hugged her once more before pulling her hands off of him.

“Okay,” she agreed, sighing sadly. The omega knew she must be lonely. “Be safe, my first.”

Sasuke headed back across the house and entered Kushina and Itachi’s sleeping room. “I’m back,” he announced softly. They were already bedding down. Kushina caught him shivering from the cold hallway air.

“Come lay here. It gets quite warm underneath.” Sasuke obeyed, kneeling beside the edge of the mattress to see where he would fit. “Ah, you had fun with the omega, and you got pretty. I like it,” Kushina noticed, her nose quivering. He’d known her sense of smell was sharp, but this instance added evidence. He shouldn’t expect to get anything past her.

“You should touch her,” Itachi told him, sliding away from her. “Lie between us.” Sasuke crawled under the blanket and wiggled his body into the gap. “Good?”

“It really is warm here,” he sighed, grateful after navigating the cold halls and spending the day a bit under-dressed. It felt pointedly strange, lying between them. He searched out his brother’s eyes. “Itachi,” he murmured.

“Yes, my dear brother?” Sasuke didn’t know what to say. Itachi observed him for a moment, searching just as Sasuke had. “Come here.” Then, he hugged Sasuke, kissing his temple, and that seemed quite correct. The omega quickly fell asleep in his brother’s arms.

Only to wake up hours later, with their positions switched. Sasuke found he had an arm over Itachi’s waist. His elder brother liked to be held. The younger hadn’t known that, having never had a chance to learn it. Sasuke had been too small, and when he’d been old enough, they hadn’t touched anymore. He hadn’t understood as a child, but later, he’d begun to realize it was that his brother feared his heats harming Sasuke accidentally. 

If there was one thing he didn’t dislike about Itachi bonding Kushina, it was Itachi trusting himself to be near Sasuke again. Sasuke squeezed Itachi lightly and nosed his silky hair, breathing in that sleepy, smoldering scent. Itachi had softened by being pregnant, but he still smelled of those dangerous black flames. No mate or child could ever entirely turn Itachi from his nature, and to Sasuke, that was comforting. 

Kushina shifted, and Sasuke stiffened. He could feel the unmistakable outline of her, hot and beating against him. The omega’s body shamelessly hungered for it. His instincts begged, coaxed, screamed. It wouldn’t take much for him to have it. And he doubted she’d take issue with it. 

Sasuke felt his body slick and clench on nothing, sending a cramp through his belly. He bit down a whine, not wanting to wake his bedmates. “Demon-” Sasuke breathed, digging his elbow into her. Was she awake and trying to destroy him, or was she hard in her sleep? Maybe he could make her roll over or something.

“Can’t sleep?” Her own voice was thick, and she yawned softly. She shifted, her hardness digging into his ass, and then inhaled as she seemed to realize what Sasuke had been dealing with. Sasuke’s breath caught. Would she- His skin’s sensitivity doubled. His stomach fell. “Remember, I said you’d have to beg me,” she teased, her hot breath ghosting over his skin. “Or at least ask.” She put her arm around his waist and pinned him against her chest, rubbing her nose in his freshly cut hair to taste his agitated scent. “You smell delicious,” she sighed. He felt her throb with lust. She wanted to be inside him. She wanted to-

“You talk so much nonsense it’s impossible to tell what’s bullshit or not,” he snapped, shaking his head to try and clear it. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest. He couldn’t control it by his will, so it would always betray him.

The demoness chuckled. “Perhaps,” Kushina murmured. She shifted her angle, so her cock went between his thighs instead of against his lower back. His eyes fluttered as it nudged the seam between them. The skin of it felt soft, enticing. He wanted to part his thighs and let it- “Have you ever even bothered to restrain yourself?” He was trying! It was hard. The omega’s legs quivered, and his body felt weak. He kept remembering how she’d fucked him. How hard he’d cum. If he let her do it, would he cum again- like that? She pressed the tip of herself forward, nudging a bit harder, and he was just barely able to keep from making a sound. “Who between us do you think will break first, little witch?”

He was getting hard, poking into Itachi. Only his under-layer kept him apart from either of him. It would be just as easy for Sasuke to do the same- Kushina’s hips twitched, and it was just enough to drag him from that cursed train of thought. “Ah-” he gasped, against his will. He felt a phantom image of her cock penetrating him, filling him to bursting. The real thing just throbbed there, threatening his body, his sanity.

She shifted her weight back, then forward again, viciously inching the velvety member further between his thighs till she was resting against the wet dimple in his body. The omega’s hips twitched. His breath was gone- the only rhythm left being the frantic way his heart flung itself against his ribs. This was worse- this was worse than if she’d fucked him, and she knew it. “Do you really believe you have more self-control than I do?”

Sasuke jumped when Itachi hissed at them both. “What are you two even doing? Leave or go to sleep already,” Itachi complained, curling into a tighter ball in front of Sasuke. “So inconsiderate.” Sasuke bit his mouth, feeling guilty about annoying his brother, but Kushina was doing it to him. Struggling against her arms would just make the bed shake.

Kushina laughed. She lowered her voice, though, to not bother his brother. “I’ll let you hold on to that, if you want, kitten,” shifting forwards more- more. Instead of entering, the head just slipped by. Her knot touched him, settling just against that soft gap in the backs of his thighs. Looking down, he could see her poking out from in-between. She was red from being hard, his slick coating her with a wet shine. It twitched, ready to break him- ruin him. “Just say you want to.” Sasuke squeezed his thighs unconsciously, and a bead of white liquid slid from the tip, pearling and then sliding down the shaft to touch his thigh. Her arms squeezed him, and she sighed in pleasure.

Then she thrust, using his skin to stroke it. The knot dragged through his slick- smearing itself with his desperate fluids. Sasuke’s body opened for it, tugging desperately on nothing. He came, and his body broke out into slight sweat. This had to stop. “No~” He finally panted, his body shuddering. “Stop that.”

“Have it your way,” Kushina sighed, amused. She pulled away and rolled over, sparing him from having to fight the entire night. But, the inside of his robe was sticky. He couldn’t catch his breath, his skin was burning, and his opening was throbbing out its shameful desire. How the fuck was he supposed to sleep?

XXX  
  


/*\

Naruto felt his mouth move, but he has been around long enough to know when he’s in a seal dream. “How’s our son?” the person he was seeing through asked, looking up into the unmistakable face of Senju Hashirama. Naruto had seen paintings of him.

“Growing well,” Hashirama answered, smiling with the ease of an old friendship. “His sensei has nothing but praise.”

“I had a feeling he’d be more suited as a Senju,” Naruto heard himself sighing. It was definitely a woman’s voice. He must be Mito. “No talent for seals at all.” Naruto opened himself to her emotions. Her voice was too controlled, too noble, for him to gather anything.

“He’s still only a child,” Hashirama laughed. “I’ll bring him back to you in a year or two, so he can try again.”

“All right,” she agreed. “Whatever you think is best for him.” Mito seemed detached at a glance, but it was because of her harsh, controlled voice and unshakable personality. After sensing her feelings, Naruto realized that this allowance for Hashirama to decide was not from a lack of care but deep trust. Naruto also didn’t feel any romantic love towards Hashirama, but he hadn’t expected to. 

“Oh, and congratulations on expecting,” Hashirama snapped his fingers as he remembered to congratulate Mito. “I wasn’t sure how much Kurama changed your body, and it felt insensitive to ask, but it appears you two were able to make it work.” He waggled his eyebrows at her. “How is it, with an alpha’s parts?”

Mito chose not to address this. “It’s only thanks to you that I was able to get such a fine wife,” she replied instead. “The fact that she is with child makes me somewhat regret capturing such a creature and stripping its life away.” She touched her belly, and Naruto felt the familiar flare of Kurama’s chakra- much wilder still than it rested in his own body. “In its mind, it is quite a young being, as a child. So I modified our seal a bit. We will share lives, and we will share family. Instead of imprisoning him, we will raise him.” Her chakra was cool but irresistible. It smoothed Kurama back down, flattening his ruffled fur and making him relax. “On the full moon, he is allowed to be free in my body, as long as he doesn’t kill humans anymore.”

“That’s very kind of you. I knew you were suited to this burden.” Hashirama grinned at her. “The tailed beasts are more than weapons, but the nine-tails couldn’t be allowed to roam unchecked.” Mito was having a separate conversation with Kurama below the surface, soothing him and promising that he would get used to his new life. Still, the specifics were too much for Naruto to process while also taking in the surface memory. “I’m glad I was able to help you,” Hashirama continued. “Know that I would never betray the alliance with your clan, and I consider us close friends and allies, married or not.”

Mito nodded, allowing herself to smile just slightly back at her former alpha. “As do I. How is Madara’s child?” 

“Hard to say,” Hashirama sighed, his mood dropping. “If he’s acting crazy, it means he has a lot of energy, right?” He wore a weak, worried sort of grin. “You know I don’t limit him usually, but I can’t help but feel he isn’t doing as an omega should, at this stage.”

“You knew he wouldn’t,” Mito reminded him. “What pregnant omega would ask to have a demon sealed into themselves?” Hashirama’s frown deepened. “Did you tell him about this?” Mito asked, gesturing at herself.

“I didn’t want to upset him. He’s always been sensitive about being an omega,” Hashirama answered, throwing a stone into the ocean and letting it skip several times over the tamer nighttime waves. “I don’t know how he’d react if he found out you were able to change, and he couldn’t.”

“If you knew the recipient would become an alpha, would you have let him become the vessel?” Mito asked.

“… And let him go, that’s what you really mean, right?” Hashirama growled, seeming slightly offended that she might think lowly of him. Naruto knew that Mito didn’t believe that. Mito thought that Madara would be a danger to all the clans if he were not bound to Hashirama and would only use Kurama’s power to create chaos. She didn’t say this.

“… He’s always wanted to be your only attachment,” Mito offered instead. Hashirama smoothed as she changed the subject a bit. “It might just as well please him that I’m gone for good.”

“I wish I could say I knew it for sure.” There was a beat of silence before the alpha grinned and told Mito: “He was pleased when I ‘sent you away to adjust to the beast,’ anyway.”

“And how the banishment pains me,” Mito replied, sarcasm falling off every tone. She sighed, looking out over the gorgeous beach, and hidden in a small stone alcove, her lovely newly built cottage. “I love the sea.” Seeing it in the half-moon light made Naruto fiercely nostalgic. Mito’s mate was there. He could tell by the moving shadows inside. How were his lovers, living in that same house, days of travel away from him?

“Then we’ll have to find you a more suitable banishment. Perhaps… from this life.” Naruto twisted quickly toward the voice and saw someone’s eyes, oozing with an ominous red light. They had a different shape than the ones he’d seen before, but the glow and colors were unmistakable. Sharingan.

“Madara-” Hashirama gasped, standing up. He did not step any closer to his mate, though. Mito and Naruto both thought this was wise. “How long have you-”

“It’s a pity you didn’t give me the nine-tails,” The omega interrupted, his form bleeding from the dark shadows at the forest’s edge. “I wouldn’t have had to do this.” His steps swayed as he moved, and his motions seemed a little aching, a little drunken. It didn’t reduce his killing intent at all. Mito didn’t express any fear but felt it. Despite it being a memory, so did Naruto. “But I suppose it's fine, in the end,” the omega sighed, a smile gracing his features as he tipped his head back, bathing himself in the moonlight. Mito was annoyed about the dramatics, but Naruto stared. 

Madara was, even for an Uchiha omega, fucking gorgeous. His features were carved from marble, perfectly elegant, and even feminine, directly contrasting his deep voice. His hair was wild and unkempt but thick and glossy. He boasted health, strength, fertility, but even his beauty could not disguise the unhinged look in his eyes.

“Your scent,” Mito covered her nose with her sleeve. It was sweet but spoiled somehow, like a decaying flower. Naruto knew it must have been enticing once, but by that time, it was wrong. As Madara stood there, his eyes shifted, and became luminous purple, and began to show a ripple pattern. Naruto didn’t know what it meant, but Mito’s feelings of disgust made it obvious. “What have you done? You can’t have-”

“What will you do if I have?” Madara asked, laughing. His voice was low, threatening. Mito fell silent, and Naruto could feel her trying to decide whether to flee. 

“Tell me if you put that into your body,” she asked again. “Tell me if you’ve forsaken your humanity.”

“I’ve forsaken being an omega.” Madara pointed at her, his eyes accusing. “As have you.” He waved his hand in the air, dismissing her. His body leaned, pulled by invisible strings. “Enough of your condescending barking,” he complained, then broke into an eerie grin. “Animals can’t speak.”

Naruto felt Mito’s body begin to transform against her will. Maybe she’d never done it before, or maybe it was just a surprise to have her transformation taken from her. Either way, she was in shock. Mito’s bones broke, and she screamed, falling to the ground writhing in pain.

“Mito!” Hashirama shouted, shocked. “Madara stop it,” he begged, running to his omega and grabbing his shoulders. Through the haze of Kurama’s unleashed chakra, Naruto could see Madara reach into the shadows behind himself and pull out that dark metallic staff, with the bright brass rings- he tried to scream. So did Mito. But it was too late. “Why?” Hashirama gasped, collapsing, coughing blood. “You would have been my only like you wanted.” He looked so struck by grief, so betrayed. Naruto felt himself choke on tears. His heart clenched painfully in his chest. He also wanted to know- how could Madara do this?

“Shh,” Madara soothed, stroking his alpha’s face. Were they still mates? Naruto didn’t understand. Neither did Hashirama by his stunned look. “You have no idea what I want,” Madara murmured gently before kissing the alpha. The tenderness in the gesture made Naruto shake. Hashirama’s chakra and lifeblood were being rapidly bled from him. “But you’re right. I will be your only,” Madara promised. Hashirama’s mouth bled from the kiss, and he shook, his eyes glossing over as he weakened. “I will be your whole world.”

“Stop-” Hashirama begged, barely above a whisper. Naruto knew from Mito’s feelings that he didn’t want to see this. But she had watched, and therefore, he had no choice. “Madara, please-” Madara’s arms were thick and jumped with powerful muscles when he pulled Hashirama in towards his chest. Was the omega crushing his alpha? No- Hashirama was vanishing! He was sinking into Madara as if there were some portal there.

“Witch-” Mito snarled, still resisting transforming. “Damned witch-” She collapsed. Naruto saw her hand, saw the open skin, with the wet muscle and fur and bones sliding nonsensically together on her mal-formed limb. His stomach rolled, just as hers must have. Still, she used it to point between Madara’s legs, where the blood flowed to the ground like a river. In the moonlight, it looked black. “Look what you’ve done.”

“It’s fine. What is a single child? Now I’ll have him always.” He moved his hands, uncrossing his arms from over his pale chest, and Mito gasped, seeing Hashirama’s face imprinted there on his breast. “You will never have more of him than me, ever again,” Madara laughed, his body shaking with it. “Now burn.” Mito screamed as her body was enveloped in black flames. Madara fed the fire with his wind chakra, raising them higher and hotter than Kurama could heal.

Behind Madara’s flaming outline, behind the ravaging fire-towers he’d made with his tornadoes, Mito watched a pregnant omega stealing her way into the woods. She caught a seconds-long view of her short, curly hair, her yellow cotton robes, her bare feet, her short-sword.

No amount of chakra could heal a body burned entirely to ash. Mito felt her seal undoing and knew she was dying, but it didn’t matter. Her wife had the chakra of the beast, and she’d never been helpless without it, either.

She only regretted leaving them alone and not getting to see the face of the first and only child she would ever sire.

She undoes the rest of her seal, and all of the chakra Kurama had let her hold burst from her body, hopefully burning the vile once-omega to death with her.

And then- darkness.

/*\

Naruto awoke to a boot in his chest and what felt like his ribs giving up the ghost. “Have a nice dream, nine-tails?” Obito cackled, watching him wheeze for breath, tears of surprise and pain streaming down his face.

He heaved his lungs back to function and knew he had one chance for escape: being heard and managing to summon either of the two Sannin. “Let go of me!” He screamed as loud as he could. “Help!” 

“Don’t do that,” the former omega snapped, shoving his heel into Naruto’s chest again. Some of his ribs must definitely be broken. He could feel the fractured edges grinding. Obito was fucking strong. “You’re just making things worse for them.” It would be worse for them if he was sacrificed and the Mazo awakened. He wasn’t a fool.

“Help!” Naruto cried, turning over his body and digging his claws into the soil. He was being dragged, but he knew his body was heavier than it looked. Not that that was much of an issue for someone as muscular as Obito. “Lady Tsunade!” he gasped, his voice not loud enough. He gathered himself and managed to make a last attempt. “Toad-sage!” 

“Naruto!” He heard the elder omega’s voice and wanted to relax but didn’t let himself stop struggling. He kicked blindly and managed to hit the Uchiha, though it hurt like hell to do it.

“I’ll be back,” Obito hissed, throwing him to the ground. “If you don’t want them all to die, come to me, you know where.” As if he would go to that! He’d be killing everyone. This was just an attempt to mess with his pride as an alpha. He wasn’t that stupid. “Die like a big boy instead of acting like a little bitch.” Naruto curled into a ball, his ears ringing painfully.

Then, Obito was gone. “Shit,” Naruto breathed, uncurling his body slowly. It had worked. But his body felt horrible. He could barely see.

“Are you all right?” Tsunade fretted, kneeling by his side. She was already healing his head, but once he could move enough, he stopped her. Naruto could heal it on his own. The lady should save her energy for those who couldn’t.

“Yeah, I think so,” he groaned, rubbing his forehead. “I want to go home.”

“Me too,” Tsunade sighed. Hanabi ran up and knelt by his side too.

“I had a dream- about what happened,” he told them both. “Madara Uchiha.” Tsunade’s body flinched next to his. Damn. Then he was related to this. “He was the last person to interact with the puppet,” Naruto told Hanabi, sensing that lady Tsunade probably still knew more than she let on. “He ate parts of it, and then he absorbed Hashirama.” The alpha pushed himself up, trying to stand. He pitched to the side, but Hanabi was getting good at shoving her shoulder under him before he tipped. What a decent kid. “I need to see Sasuke’s drawings,” he decided, finding his feet.

“Could he still be alive?” Hanabi asked. “He might not be human anymore if he absorbed both those types of flesh.” She was guessing wildly, but she could very well be right. Obito seemed inhuman, too, though maybe he wasn’t so far gone as Madara. Naruto sincerely hoped not, anyway.

“We already-” Tsunade began as Naruto stumbled up to the board where the drawings were displayed for strategy.

“It’s on the back,” he told her, yanking one down and turning it over. He knew what he was looking for.

“Those are my grandfather’s war-markings,” Tsunade volunteered, tracing the green markings on the paper. “When he used his natural chakra.”

“Sasuke and I both dreamed about him, then,” Naruto reported. “We can’t assume he’s dead. Not anymore.” He rubbed his forehead. Naruto was good at tactics in the moment, but this required more thinking. This required figuring out, not just reacting. He needed his omega, who was quick mentally and talented in his chakra. Naruto had a feeling normal strength wouldn’t work on this opponent. “I need to see Sasuke.”

“I don’t think that’s going to be possible,” Tsunade began to argue.

Naruto felt his body creak painfully. His ribs were moving back into place and trying to make the first connections to heal him. They poked the soft meats inside him as they moved. He also felt a rush of fiery chakra pressing out against the back of his throat. Kurama was trying to speak. “I have to go-” 

“Don’t leave camp!” Tsunade yelled after him.

He left camp. “Kurama- explain!” he shouted, making the demon a clone to talk through, then pushing it a few steps away. “You’ve been hiding from me lately, haven’t you?”

“You’re not the only vessel anymore,” Kurama deflected. “With four of you, I don’t need to be putting all my eggs in just your basket.”

“That’s bullshit,” Naruto cried. “You called me here. Spill.”

“You ignored me when I told you not to leave the Uchiha alone. Now you want to know what I think,” the beast growled, clearly in a pissy mood. Naruto was in a pissy mood too.

“Yes.”

“But understand. I’m not interested in your affairs. I’m interested in vessels.” Kurama snarled. He used even Naruto’s human body on all fours, claws dragging up dirt as it moved with all the trapped agitation Naruto could feel in his own body. “I don’t care if you kill each other or which clans other than mine live or die, understand?”

“This thing will wipe out everything,” Naruto reminded, knowing he didn’t need to. He was just talking until Kurama could settle. The fox was an animal. He got worked up sometimes. So did Naruto. “That’s what Tsunade said,” Kurama growled lowly at him. “You care about existing, don’t you?”

Eventually, the fox revealed: “That thing- is the closest thing I have to a mother.”

“Yes?” Naruto agreed. He didn’t know where this was going.

“My bones-” Kurama added. “You worship them.”

“Yes.”

“My… mother’s bones are there.” He pointed up at the sky. The moon was a pale ghost in the day-time sky, strange and out of place. “That thing here is just a puppet, but it can send energy there.”

“On the moon?” Naruto asked.

“They are the moon,” Kurama corrected, shaking himself. “Do you understand now what kind of chance we have?”

“So what you’ve given up talking to me because you think you’re going to die and you’re fucking depressed?” Naruto demanded.

“How many eyes are open?” the demon asked, scowling even as he avoided Naruto’s eyes.

The Alpha sighed. “Eight.” He understood how serious it was.

“I’m the strongest of my siblings,” Kurama finally explained. “But it still should tell you something that the enemy wiped out all my fellow beasts without even a fuss. I’d wager there weren’t any messengers left. We are scrambling for survival, not fighting any sort of honorable battle.” Naruto didn’t speak. He just worried. “I didn’t want to tell you, I thought, maybe you’d find a way out. I’d just make you hopeless.”

“Ugh, come on, Kurama. Then you know way more than us?” Naruto laughed, feeling a little hysteric. “How can I figure shit out if you don’t tell me.” Kurama ducked, growling. So even tailed beasts got paralyzed with fear sometimes. Naruto wanted to be compassionate- but they’d waited long enough to take action. He wouldn’t even have time to get Sasuke as he wished to. “Well, speak up now!” he growled.

Kyuubi snarled back. There was a moment where they both nearly snapped, aggression feeding itself and growing. “There’s no point in getting into all the in the beginning bullshit. Just understand that you have to keep me away from that puppet-” the beast growled. “Or the ten-tails will be reborn, and the world flower will take back all the chakra she gave this world, with interest.”

“Every living being with chakra will die- because she takes it?” Naruto asked, pointing up at the moon. 

“She seeds life. Then she reaps her crop.” Kurama even whined softly, which was, well… a terrible sign.

“Yeah, but she’s not here yet,” Naruto reminded Kurama. “We still have a chance. So what do I do?”

“Kill any Uchiha witch you see that isn’t our mates,” Naruto opened his mouth to argue. “You can’t risk it,” Kurama interrupted. “Only they can bond with it and do its bidding.”

“How?” Naruto asked softly. “By eating pieces?”

“It’s not a perfect meld when she joins with their bodies. There’s a way to separate them, but I don’t know it.” Naruto knows Kurama’s tails would be lashing in annoyance if he had any in this form. “Purification of some sort.”

“Uchiha were once known for being priests. Wouldn’t they have rituals then?” Kurama nodded. “Maybe one of them is to reverse that?”

“I don’t know them,” the fox admitted. 

“I can ask Kakashi. He was mated to Obito and lived near the Uchiha. Maybe he observed them.” Kurama nodded and allowed the clone to be dispelled. Naruto ran until he reached Kakashi’s tent and, in his excitement, burst inside. “I think I know how you can save your mate-”

“What?” Kakashi answered, muffled, from under a pile of white dogs.

“What?” Kurama snarled, using Naruto’s mouth. “Shut up, Kurama!” Naruto snapped right back. “You can’t save-” He hated using one mouth to argue. Kurama was doing this just to piss him off.

“Do I need to be here for this?” Kakashi interrupted. “I just want to hear the part about Obito.”

“Yes!” Naruto finally got his mouth under control, shoving Kurama down with assurances that he should trust Naruto. “I need to know- how Uchiha purify themselves for ritual. Is it water?” A lot of clans used waterfall purifications.

“The Uchiha are unusual. They use fire,” Kakashi answered. 

“Fire? It can't be that simple.” Naruto’s mind was rushing. He grabbed the elder alpha’s arm and yanked him out of his pile of dogs. Out of his tent. “Come with me.” Kakashi got his feet and began running after Naruto. They burst back into the strategy tent. The lady was still there, talking worriedly to Hanabi. “Lady Tsunade. Can you force the Uchiha to help me?”

“Strongly depends,” she replied, folding her arms. “Are you going to keep ignoring orders?”

Naruto rolled his eyes. “Make them tell me their purification ritual,” he told her. 

“I don’t know if I can force them that far,” she admitted. Her arms were relaxing from their crossed position out of surprise. “Why?”

“Every living being,” Naruto puffed out, his run catching up with him. Kakashi was bent over a few steps behind him, gasping for air.

“I understand,” Tsunade agreed. “Summon them.” Naruto tried to get his breath under control before he had to address Fugaku. He couldn’t afford to sound anything less than a prime alpha. “Lord Uchiha,” Tsunade greeted. “Naruto claims he can end this threat if you answer questions about your purification rituals.”

“The highest one you have. It uses fire, doesn't it?” Naruto cut in. They didn’t have time for the back and forth or any pleasantries. They’d had a hell of a late start. Things needed to be sped up as much as they could. They needed a solution there and then.

“Yes,” Fugaku replied, guardedly.

“Can someone in your clan generate such fire?”

“Itachi is a great master of flame-” the alpha sneered. “But even he cannot summon the divine celestial fire. To call it from the sky, even during the greatest of natural storms, has not been done for generations.”

“Fire from the sky? A storm?” Naruto begged his mind to connect the dots. He saw Sasuke’s sparking hands swiping at him during a spar. “You mean, lightning?”

“That, or what you see in the north in winter,” Fugaku replied. Kakashi took a breath, but Fugaku scowled at him, which seemed to prevent him from speaking. “Nothing so paltry as what you can summon, White-Fang.” Well, that still left- “Nor could that child, Sasuke.” Damn.

“You don’t know what I’m capable of,” Kakashi growled. “Just because I never sought revenge-”

“Enough.” Letting a bit of Kurama’s power fill his warning growl made everyone shut up quite nicely. “Sorry, Kakashi, I don’t have time for this.” Kakashi fell mutinously silent, but Naruto was satisfied to consider that bud nipped enough for the time being. “We need to shock the shit out of Obito and see what happens. He’s not Madara, so maybe it doesn’t need to be perfect.” Everyone was staring at him like he was crazy. That was fine. All his best plans started with him getting that look. “You can create lightning?” Kakashi nodded. “Taking Obito away might give us enough of an advantage actually to have a chance.”

“Yes,” Kakashi began to argue, “But-” he didn’t want his mate to die. Lightning could stop a heart as quickly as it could burn flesh or cut through it.

“Tsunade can restart his heart, right?” He looked at the elder omega, and she nodded firmly. She’d already realized the logic of his plan. Thank goodness. Now the rest of them.

“Another application of lightning is the most effective to start the heart.” She looked at Kakashi, touching her chest. “I’ll teach you how.”

Naruto nodded. He clasped Kakashi’s shoulders and met his eyes. “You’ll have to shock to kill, and I’ll share chakra with you so it will be as strong as possible.”

“Lady Senju, this is madness,” Fugaku was arguing from somewhere behind him. Naruto didn’t look. He kept his gaze locked to Kakashi. Everything rested on him, and if he would help them with his lightning or not.

“We do what Naruto says.”

“I-” Kakashi breathed.

“You can do it,” Naruto promised. And he truly believed it. “I will be the bait. You attack from behind,” he added. “ And if I’m wrong, I’ll lay my life in your hands, I swear.” He knew that there were people who would grieve him if it came to it, but he couldn’t justify asking Kakashi to risk eliminating the one person he had without offering something equal as collateral. “Assuming the attempt doesn’t kill us.”

“I trust you,” Kakashi sighed.

“We need to start developing support seals now,” Tsunade announced to her aides. “Fetch my alpha, Jiraiya.”

“Yes, my Lady!” one of them replied.

She bowed at the Uchiha but told them: “Clear this tent out. You’re not privy to our sealing arts,” in a voice that made no room for argument. They had no choice but to offer their own bows and depart. Naruto felt himself and Kakashi both relax as soon as they were gone.

Naruto sat down cross-legged and watched his mentors work. Kakashi was also allowed to stay because he would be using it. Some younger Senjus came and cleared the space, putting their mostly white and brown heads together to figure out the correct setup for the scroll, what size they needed, how many prongs. Eventually, they had laid out an enormous scroll and begun to set up the necessary parameters. Naruto might usually be more interested, but he’d been woken in the middle of the night. He had to suppress a yawn, and his vision swam a little.

“If your plan works on Obito- we can try to use this seal on Madara,” Tsunade told them, pushing a white-haired youth aside and accepting the brush from his hand. He bowed and stepped back. All her clan underlings observed as Tsunade painted. “It will draw massively powerful lightning down where we activate it and will take chakra from twelve people.” She seemed to remember something and sat up. “I already have one to restart the heart. It should work well with your chakra, Kakashi. All you have to do is place it over the chest or back and charge it equally on both sides.”

Naruto watched Kakashi gravely accept the scroll, and strap it securely to his hip in the place of one of his knives. He wanted it easy to access and use. Being able to revive Obito was more important to him than having enough weapons to defend himself with. It made Naruto’s heart hurt to realize that, but it also gave him hope for their plan. Kakashi would do his best since it was the only one anyone had made so far where Obito didn’t have to die.

“Okay,” Jiraiya clapped his hands, squatting beside his omega. The lady handed her brush over and let him revise her work. He didn’t change much. An accent here or there. A line she hadn’t connected as solidly as he felt it should be. Mainly he seemed to just agree with her and strengthen her concept once in a while. “Once Madara and Obito are dealt with, I hope sealing the puppet will be possible,” he added. “Roll out another one over there. We’ll work on these at the same time.”

Naruto felt his mouth move. “Let me,” Kurama spoke. “You rest,” his hands formed the clone seal, and when it appeared, he could tell his patron was using it. “Kurama,” he greeted. “You’re going to help?”

“Ah, we are honored to have your assistance, Nine-Tails,” Jiraiya greeted, wisely deciding to bow politely. With a soft gasp, everyone left for the sealing followed suit, throwing themselves hastily into bows so the ancient spirit wouldn’t deem them rude and punish them. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Kurama drawled. He tried to push Naruto from sitting criss-cross onto his side, but Naruto resisted, sitting back up. He had to make sure everyone did what they were supposed to. “Just go to sleep, Naruto,” the fox urged. “Those dreams from earlier aren’t that restful.”

“When I sleep, people try to kidnap me,” he replied, sticking his tongue out.

“Idiot,” Tsunade grabbed his shoulder and pulled him over her lap. Oh- it was super soft, and her scent was so comforting. This is what he imagined his mother’s scent might be like- and knowing that his mother had actually been her nephew made it even more believable. “No one can take you if I’m here.” Her hand stroked his hair, and Naruto’s eyes helplessly began to close. “Now rest, already. We need you in good form later.” He nodded. For the sake of fighting later, he would sleep. Tsunade hummed softly, gently tracing the lines in his cheeks.

“How come he gets your lap pillow-” Jiraiya whined playfully, kicking Naruto’s ankle lightly. Naruto growled softly, without opening his eyes. Yes, he was a young alpha getting really close to someone else’s mate- but it wasn’t like that.

“Jiraiya. Get to work,” Tsunade ordered.

“Yes, ma’am,” the alpha snickered. Naruto assumed he did because it got quiet, only the sealing masters’ soft discussions reaching his ears. Kurama paced restlessly, snapping at them before they could make mistakes. Naruto was used to that, and he slept.


End file.
